Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the Midwest
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs by Earnings
This page ranks 35 Film, Video and Photographic Arts programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the list with median earnings of $57,059 for its graduates four years after completing, followed by Purdue University-Main Campus at $52,105 and Ohio State University-Main Campus at $50,565.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $40,592, with a spread of $40,067 from $57,059 to $16,992. For 7 of the 35 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 22 public and 13 private nonprofit institutions, with public schools making up 63% of the group. Oakland University posts the lowest average net price at $9,120.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Wright State University-Main Campus reports the highest admission rate at 96%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $57,059 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 1st on this list, reporting $57,059 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $52,105 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
| Purdue University-Main Campus posts an average net price of $14,600 and a median of $52,105 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $50,565 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| With an admission rate of 61%, Ohio State University-Main Campus reports $50,565 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Taylor University · Upland, IN | $50,403 | $24,865 | $16,143 | 73.5% |
| Taylor University, a private nonprofit university in Upland, shows median federal debt of $20,500 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 5 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $49,388 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 79.6% |
| Eastern Michigan University reports $49,388 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $15,407. | |||||
| 6 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $49,192 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 6th on this list and reports median federal debt of $21,500 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 7 | University of Toledo · Toledo, OH | $48,250 | $17,249 | $13,524 | 92.0% |
| An admission rate of 92% and median earnings of $48,250 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing are reported by University of Toledo. | |||||
| 8 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $47,892 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
| Median earnings of $47,892 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing coincide with an average net price of $22,531 at University of Iowa. | |||||
| 9 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $47,707 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| Ranking 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports $47,707 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | DePaul University · Chicago, IL | $46,969 | $30,902 | $27,359 | 75.9% |
| DePaul University reports median federal debt of $24,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $46,969 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Huntington University · Huntington, IN | $46,073 | $19,310 | $10,796 | 75.6% |
| Huntington University reports an average net price of $19,310 and median earnings of $46,073 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $45,391 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 84.6% |
| Western Michigan University ranks 12th on this list, with median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $44,232 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reports $44,232 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $15,014. | |||||
| 14 | Columbus College of Art & Design · Columbus, OH | $43,661 | $29,439 | $24,204 | 67.7% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Columbus, Columbus College of Art & Design ranks 14th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 15 | Oakland University · Rochester Hills, MI | $43,186 | $9,120 | $4,422 | 87.8% |
| Oakland University posts an average net price of $4,422 for families earning under $30,000, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $43,186 four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Columbia College Chicago · Chicago, IL | $41,200 | $26,598 | $20,924 | 89.5% |
| With 176 graduates in the earnings cohort, Columbia College Chicago records median earnings of $41,200 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of Kansas · Lawrence, KS | $41,191 | $18,059 | $12,544 | 93.5% |
| University of Kansas admits 93% of applicants and reports median earnings of $41,191 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $40,592 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 86.9% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 243rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $18,525 in federal loans. | |||||
| 19 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH | $39,707 | $24,022 | $18,396 | 81.0% |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus reports $39,707 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $24,022. | |||||
| 20 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $39,082 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 83.0% |
| A public university in Allendale, Grand Valley State University ranks 20th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $24,499 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 21 | Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH | $37,745 | $14,764 | $11,958 | 91.3% |
| Cleveland State University posts an average net price of $11,958 for families earning under $30,000, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $37,745 four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | Minnesota State University Moorhead · Moorhead, MN | $36,495 | $17,997 | $11,129 | 58.8% |
| With an admission rate of 59%, Minnesota State University Moorhead reports median earnings of $36,495 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | College for Creative Studies · Detroit, MI | $35,797 | $34,617 | $30,267 | 91.9% |
| College for Creative Studies ranks 1442nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 24 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | $35,421 | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% |
| Saint Cloud State University reports $35,421 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $21,058 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 25 | Webster University · Saint Louis, MO | $35,407 | $27,047 | $22,359 | 86.2% |
| Webster University reports median earnings of $35,407 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 86%. | |||||
| 26 | Wayne State University · Detroit, MI | $35,157 | $12,766 | $11,090 | 81.2% |
| Wayne State University, a public university in Detroit, ranks 26th on this list and posts an average net price of $12,766. | |||||
| 27 | Kenyon College · Gambier, OH | $35,060 | $38,512 | $18,242 | 31.0% |
| Kenyon College admits 31% of applicants and shows median earnings of $35,060 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | Wright State University-Main Campus · Dayton, OH | $34,673 | $15,415 | $11,952 | 96.3% |
| Wright State University-Main Campus carries a median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $34,673. | |||||
| 29 | Kansas City Art Institute · Kansas City, MO | $34,253 | $27,650 | $26,293 | 54.8% |
| Kansas City Art Institute ranks 1401st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $27,650. | |||||
| 30 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $31,974 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 87.5% |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln reports median earnings of $31,974 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $12,751 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 31 | Northern Michigan University · Marquette, MI | $26,353 | $14,085 | $7,697 | 84.0% |
| Northern Michigan University ranks 31st on this list, with an average net price of $7,697 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 32 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design · Minneapolis, MN | $25,967 | $29,926 | $23,662 | 48.5% |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design admits 48% of applicants and reports median earnings of $25,967 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | Denison University · Granville, OH | $22,806 | $40,007 | $16,656 | 17.4% |
| Denison University posts an average net price of $40,007, while its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $22,806. | |||||
| 34 | Carleton College · Northfield, MN | $21,964 | $25,407 | $7,881 | 20.4% |
| Carleton College ranks 508th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $21,964. | |||||
| 35 | Oberlin College · Oberlin, OH | $16,992 | $38,645 | $18,774 | 34.2% |
| Oberlin College reports median earnings of $16,992 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 34%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure covers federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 7 of the 35 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Purdue University-Main Campus is $4,954, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $40,067.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Best Art & Design Colleges in the Midwest
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