Film/Video and Photographic Arts: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 50.06. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,128 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 239 | 2,309 | $29,024 | $32,800 | $14,250 11 programs |
| Associate's degree | 188 | 1,657 | $28,195 | $33,186 | $20,000 7 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 488 | 13,024 | $31,110 | $43,765 | $23,000 146 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 150 | 1,831 | $40,230 | $51,486 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 28 | 51 | $60,269 | $73,797 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 31 | 55 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husson University ME · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $36,880 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| DSDT MI · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $32,230 | Data unavailable | $12,500 |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 179 graduates measured | $30,056 | Data unavailable | $20,000 |
| Nashville Film Institute TN · Private, for-profit · 34 graduates measured | $29,188 | $34,240 | $5,500 |
| Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology FL · Private, for-profit · 111 graduates measured | $28,380 | $33,668 | $11,823 |
| Ohio Media School-Valley View OH · Private, for-profit · 59 graduates measured | $23,328 | Data unavailable | $15,628 |
| Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y Television PR · Private, for-profit · 21 graduates measured | $17,810 | $19,313 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Community College Area NE · Public · 16 graduates measured | $40,238 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 115 graduates measured | $33,643 | $24,816 | $29,500 |
| Oklahoma City Community College OK · Public · 16 graduates measured | $32,535 | $40,029 | Data unavailable |
| Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $30,220 | $30,298 | $21,306 |
| California College of ASU CA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $29,777 | $32,033 | Data unavailable |
| Valencia College FL · Public · 43 graduates measured | $28,568 | $33,162 | $6,950 |
| Community College of Aurora CO · Public · 45 graduates measured | $26,794 | $37,661 | $16,060 |
| Los Angeles Film School CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $18,622 | $29,061 | $20,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tufts University MA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $46,529 | $59,960 | $17,900 |
| Calvin University MI · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $44,381 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mount Saint Mary's University CA · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $41,871 | $47,091 | $28,082 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 20 graduates measured | $41,207 | $52,105 | $18,499 |
| Brigham Young University UT · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $41,055 | $53,695 | $11,250 |
| Chapman University CA · Private, nonprofit · 146 graduates measured | $40,622 | $66,494 | $19,500 |
| Utah Valley University UT · Public · 45 graduates measured | $40,605 | Data unavailable | $12,500 |
| CUNY Hunter College NY · Public · 64 graduates measured | $40,578 | $46,545 | $13,439 |
| Huntington University IN · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $40,516 | $46,073 | $27,000 |
| Loyola Marymount University CA · Private, nonprofit · 61 graduates measured | $40,146 | $61,500 | $20,147 |
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 56 graduates measured | $39,945 | $44,145 | $17,380 |
| Occidental College CA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $39,921 | Data unavailable | $24,903 |
| Academy of Art University CA · Private, for-profit · 72 graduates measured | $39,840 | $46,726 | $33,000 |
| Syracuse University NY · Private, nonprofit · 51 graduates measured | $39,522 | $54,115 | $26,602 |
| Emory University GA · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $39,518 | Data unavailable | $17,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| American University DC · Private, nonprofit · 49 graduates measured | $54,168 | $76,808 | Data unavailable |
| National University CA · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $48,733 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Regent University VA · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $46,216 | $57,017 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Brooklyn College NY · Public · 40 graduates measured | $44,517 | $66,636 | Data unavailable |
| American Film Institute Conservatory CA · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $44,382 | $43,012 | Data unavailable |
| Academy of Art University CA · Private, for-profit · 31 graduates measured | $42,432 | $58,879 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 123 graduates measured | $41,896 | $51,931 | Data unavailable |
| Loyola Marymount University CA · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $41,500 | $55,619 | Data unavailable |
| Chapman University CA · Private, nonprofit · 58 graduates measured | $39,104 | $50,895 | Data unavailable |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 29 graduates measured | $39,093 | $44,277 | Data unavailable |
| New York University NY · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $38,545 | $47,221 | Data unavailable |
| Savannah College of Art and Design GA · Private, nonprofit · 78 graduates measured | $38,167 | $53,996 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public · 81 graduates measured | $37,971 | $53,630 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 54 graduates measured | $37,896 | $56,444 | Data unavailable |
| DePaul University IL · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $37,648 | $46,553 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Film/Video and Photographic Arts
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $78,620 | +2.2% | Master's degree |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Producers and directors | $90,360 | +4.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Photographers | $44,660 | -0.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Camera operators, television, video, and film | $74,990 | +1.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Film and video editors | $75,420 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (5)
- 50.0601 Film/Cinema/Media Studies
- 50.0602 Cinematography and Film/Video Production
- 50.0605 Photography
- 50.0607 Documentary Production
- 50.0699 Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other