California College of ASU provides access to film and entertainment education in Los Angeles for students from diverse economic backgrounds, including many first-generation college students.
However, graduates face significant financial challenges with earnings well below national averages despite substantial educational investments.
California College of ASU is a small private nonprofit institution in Los Angeles focused primarily on cinematography and film production. The college serves a diverse student body, with nearly half of students receiving Pell Grants and about 30% being first-generation college students. However, the institution faces significant challenges in delivering strong financial outcomes for graduates.
With median 10-year earnings of $42,014, graduates earn substantially less than typical college graduates nationwide, placing the institution in the bottom 10% for return on investment. The college's specialized focus on film and video production reflects the creative industries landscape in Los Angeles, but this concentration comes with considerable financial trade-offs that prospective students and families must carefully weigh.
While the institution provides access to students from diverse backgrounds, the combination of high net prices across all income levels and below-average earnings creates affordability challenges that require serious consideration. For students committed to careers in film and video production, the Los Angeles location offers industry proximity, but the financial realities demand careful planning and realistic expectations about post-graduation earning potential.
California College of ASU's program portfolio is highly specialized, focusing almost exclusively on cinematography and film production. This concentration reflects the institution's mission to serve Los Angeles's entertainment industry, but it also means that virtually all students are preparing for careers in creative fields known for variable and often modest earnings.
The film and video production program graduates about 114 students annually, representing the vast majority of the college's degree output. While this specialization provides focused training relevant to the local entertainment industry, it also concentrates risk, as graduates have limited alternative career pathways if film industry opportunities don't materialize. Early-career earnings in these fields average around $22,268, reflecting the challenging economics that characterize much of the creative economy.
For students committed to careers in film and video production, the Los Angeles location offers valuable industry proximity and networking opportunities. However, the financial realities of these career paths require realistic expectations about earning potential and careful consideration of the debt-to-income ratios that graduates will face in their early careers.
Graduates of California College of ASU face significant financial challenges after completing their degrees. With median 10-year earnings of $42,014, graduates earn substantially less than typical college graduates nationwide, placing the institution in the bottom 10% for long-term financial outcomes. The earnings trajectory shows graduates earning well below what similar students achieve at other institutions, creating a challenging return on investment scenario.
The college's program portfolio is heavily concentrated in cinematography and film production, which accounts for the majority of graduates. While this specialization aligns with Los Angeles's entertainment industry, it also means most students enter fields known for variable and often modest early-career earnings. Film and video production graduates from the college earn a median of $22,268 ten years after graduation, reflecting the challenging economics of creative industries where success can be highly variable and dependent on factors beyond educational preparation.
Affordability presents major challenges at California College of ASU, with high net prices across all income levels. Low-income families face annual costs of about $30,658, middle-income families pay approximately $30,758, and even high-income families see costs around $30,319. These prices place the institution among the least affordable options nationally, ranking in the bottom 10% for affordability across income bands.
The debt burden compounds these affordability concerns significantly. Typical graduates leave with $25,000 in federal student loan debt, while families often take on an additional $31,467 in Parent PLUS loans. Given the institution's low median earnings of $42,014 ten years after graduation, these debt levels create substantial financial strain for most graduates. The combination of high upfront costs and modest post-graduation earnings requires families to carefully assess their ability to manage both immediate educational expenses and long-term debt obligations.
California College Of Asu Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
