Best Photography Schools Near Simi Valley, CA (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Simi Valley, California has 5 accredited schools offering photography programs. Simi Valley has a population of about 125,769. Median household income is $117,703 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA metro area, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $67,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Photography Schools to Simi Valley

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer photography programs near Simi Valley, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Simi Valley city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Simi Valley. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Moorpark College

Moorpark, CA 5.5 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,044
Avg net price $-2,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, CA 13.6 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
38.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,198
Avg net price $46,080/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA 19.9 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,379
Avg net price $21,413/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

New York Film Academy

Burbank, CA 24.9 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
35.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $29,633
Avg net price $39,011/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, CA 32.7 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
68.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,958
Avg net price $48,661/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 44.4 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
59.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,950
Avg net price $14,379/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Cypress College

Cypress, CA 51.3 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
49.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,533
Avg net price $4,606/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA 57.0 miles from Simi Valley
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,464
Avg net price $20,161/yr
Tuition
In‑state$49,470
Out‑of‑state$49,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California photography page.

Photography Wages Near Simi Valley

Simi Valley is part of the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA metro area (BLS area code 37100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Photographer$43,870Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$39,701
Graphic Designer$67,300Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$60,905

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Simi Valley at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population125,769Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$117,703Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+37.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)110.5 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Simi Valley-Area Cities With Photography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Simi Valley, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering photography programs near Simi Valley. The closest is Moorpark College in Moorpark, CA (5.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is New York Film Academy (24.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles near Simi Valley?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles near Simi Valley are: Graphic Designer ($67,300), Photographer ($43,870). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Moorpark instead of Simi Valley?

Moorpark, CA is 7.4 miles from Simi Valley and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Simi Valley an affordable place to study photography?

Simi Valley’s median household income of $117,703 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Simi Valley while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Simi Valley

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Simi Valley:

Data verified: August 25, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Photography Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)