Field of study · CIP 50.06
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Offered at 777 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 161 | $29,188 | $35,509 | $14,250 |
| Associate | 133 | $30,220 | $37,765 | $20,000 |
| Bachelor's | 375 | $31,401 | $48,122 | $23,000 |
| Master's | 82 | $39,104 | $54,414 | — |
| Doctoral | 15 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 11 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Our read
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $29,188, versus $31,401 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Film Institute | WA | — | $54,210 | — |
| 2 | Boise State University | ID | — | $47,759 | — |
| 3 | Gwinnett Technical College | GA | — | $44,279 | — |
| 4 | Husson University | ME | $36,880 | — | — |
| 5 | New York Film Academy | CA | — | $36,461 | $14,250 |
| 6 | Central New Mexico Community College | NM | — | $35,527 | — |
| 7 | Savannah Technical College | GA | — | $35,491 | — |
| 8 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | MN | — | $34,699 | — |
| 9 | Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology | FL | $28,380 | $32,419 | $11,823 |
| 10 | DSDT | MI | $32,230 | — | $12,500 |
| 11 | Full Sail University | FL | $30,056 | — | $20,000 |
| 12 | Nashville Film Institute | TN | $29,188 | $27,543 | $5,500 |
| 13 | Ohio Media School-Valley View | OH | $23,328 | — | $15,628 |
| 14 | Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y Television | PR | $17,810 | $22,552 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg Area Community College | PA | — | $44,278 | — |
| 2 | Fashion Institute of Technology | NY | — | $42,693 | — |
| 3 | Academy of Art University | CA | — | $42,048 | — |
| 4 | Community College of Aurora | CO | $26,794 | $41,256 | $16,060 |
| 5 | Metropolitan Community College Area | NE | $40,238 | — | — |
| 6 | Lansing Community College | MI | — | $40,234 | — |
| 7 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | MN | — | $39,368 | — |
| 8 | Mott Community College | MI | — | $36,162 | — |
| 9 | Valencia College | FL | $28,568 | $34,160 | $6,950 |
| 10 | Miami Dade College | FL | — | $33,880 | — |
| 11 | Los Angeles Film School | CA | $18,622 | $32,550 | $20,000 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City Community College | OK | $32,535 | — | — |
| 13 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | $30,220 | — | $21,306 |
| 14 | Full Sail University | FL | $33,643 | $23,226 | $29,500 |
| 15 | Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y Television | PR | — | $22,360 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartmouth College | NH | — | $79,039 | — |
| 2 | Lafayette College | PA | — | $77,592 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $35,898 | $68,814 | $13,377 |
| 4 | Chapman University | CA | $40,622 | $67,354 | $19,500 |
| 5 | Mount Saint Mary's University | CA | $41,871 | $64,448 | $28,082 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $34,262 | $64,159 | $21,050 |
| 7 | Seattle University | WA | — | $63,850 | $20,500 |
| 8 | Fordham University | NY | $37,428 | $63,729 | $25,250 |
| 9 | University of Southern California | CA | $34,718 | $63,722 | $19,500 |
| 10 | American University | DC | $38,663 | $61,982 | $20,167 |
| 11 | New York University | NY | $36,652 | $61,977 | $20,500 |
| 12 | CUNY Hunter College | NY | $40,578 | $60,556 | $13,439 |
| 13 | University of California-Irvine | CA | $30,830 | $59,908 | $13,249 |
| 14 | University of California-Davis | CA | $31,184 | $59,314 | $15,568 |
| 15 | Loyola Marymount University | CA | $40,146 | $59,134 | $20,147 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American University | DC | $54,168 | $74,280 | — |
| 2 | Norwich University | VT | — | $69,365 | — |
| 3 | CUNY Brooklyn College | NY | $44,517 | $65,100 | — |
| 4 | Regent University | VA | $46,216 | $64,125 | — |
| 5 | Columbia College Chicago | IL | — | $63,618 | — |
| 6 | Chapman University | CA | $39,104 | $60,659 | — |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $37,971 | $60,623 | — |
| 8 | Savannah College of Art and Design | GA | $38,167 | $59,290 | — |
| 9 | Mount Saint Mary's University | CA | — | $57,923 | — |
| 10 | University of Southern California | CA | $41,896 | $55,880 | — |
| 11 | Loyola Marymount University | CA | $41,500 | $55,679 | — |
| 12 | Maryland Institute College of Art | MD | — | $53,149 | — |
| 13 | Lipscomb University | TN | — | $52,933 | — |
| 14 | DePaul University | IL | $37,648 | $52,794 | — |
| 15 | Academy of Art University | CA | $42,432 | $51,948 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $44,104MusicBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $46,274Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $43,013DanceBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $43,758Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $56,942Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $45,518Arts, Entertainment, and Media ManagementBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $50,621Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and ArtisanryBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —
Quick answers
- How much do film/video and photographic arts graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in film/video and photographic arts reports median earnings of $31,401. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
