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# Top Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the South

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-the-south/)

Regional list from [Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs by Earnings](/rankings/best-film-video-and-photographic-arts-programs/)

This page ranks the 30 Film, Video and Photographic Arts programs in the South by median earnings of Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. [American University](/school/american-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $52,661 four years after completing, followed by [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) at $52,032.

Across the listed programs, earnings range from $52,661 to $23,649, with a median of $40,530.

The list includes 17 public and 13 private nonprofit institutions. Clayton State University reports the lowest average net price at $8,365, while University of Houston ranks 13th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

30 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | American University · Washington, DC | $52,661 | $41,943 | $23,233 | 62.0% |
|  | [American University](/school/american-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,661](/school/american-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with 53 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $52,032 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
|  | [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) [admits 19% of applicants](/school/university-of-miami/admissions/) and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $17,500 in federal loans. |
| 3 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $50,713 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
|  | Ranks 3rd on this list, [University of Maryland-College Park](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/majors/) shows an [average net price of $15,678](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/cost/) and a median of $19,000 in federal debt across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 4 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $50,086 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
|  | [George Mason University](/school/george-mason-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $50,086](/school/george-mason-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,915. |
| 5 | Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL | $46,180 | $11,297 | $5,938 | 24.2% |
|  | [Florida State University](/school/florida-state-university/majors/) ranks 5th on this list and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a [median of $20,538](/school/florida-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans. |
| 6 | Maryland Institute College of Art · Baltimore, MD | $43,227 | $42,729 | $32,389 | 76.8% |
|  | Maryland Institute College of Art has an average net price of $32,389 for families earning under $30,000, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earned a median of $43,227. |
| 7 | Liberty University · Lynchburg, VA | $43,025 | $29,357 | $30,667 | 99.0% |
|  | [Liberty University](/school/liberty-university/majors/) [admits 99% of applicants](/school/liberty-university/admissions/) and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $22,500 in federal loans. |
| 8 | Georgia State University · Atlanta, GA | $42,457 | $15,931 | $13,787 | 55.4% |
|  | [Georgia State University](/school/georgia-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $42,457](/school/georgia-state-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with 217 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 9 | The University of Tampa · Tampa, FL | $42,090 | $36,211 | $30,011 | 40.3% |
|  | [The University of Tampa](/school/the-university-of-tampa/majors/) [ranks 1089th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/the-university-of-tampa/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $36,211. |
| 10 | Belmont University · Nashville, TN | $42,033 | $33,147 | $22,950 | 95.3% |
|  | Belmont University reports median earnings of $42,033 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, and its completers who borrowed left with a median of $20,500 in federal loans. |
| 11 | Savannah College of Art and Design · Savannah, GA | $41,651 | $49,430 | $44,858 | 83.0% |
|  | Savannah College of Art and Design has an average net price of $44,858 for families earning under $30,000, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earned a median of $41,651. |
| 12 | University of Central Florida · Orlando, FL | $41,255 | $10,411 | $5,816 | 40.1% |
|  | [University of Central Florida](/school/university-of-central-florida/majors/), a public university in Orlando, [admits 40% of applicants](/school/university-of-central-florida/admissions/) and reports 192 graduates in the earnings cohort for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts program. |
| 13 | Ringling College of Art and Design · Sarasota, FL | $41,024 | $57,742 | $47,261 | 69.7% |
|  | Ringling College of Art and Design reports median earnings of $41,024 four years after completing and a median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 14 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts · Winston Salem, NC | $41,000 | $14,906 | $3,165 | 30.0% |
|  | University of North Carolina School of the Arts admits 30% of applicants and posts an average net price of $14,906. |
| 15 | University of South Carolina-Columbia · Columbia, SC | $40,962 | $22,811 | $12,634 | 60.2% |
|  | With [median earnings of $40,962](/school/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/outcomes/) four years after completing, [University of South Carolina-Columbia](/school/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/) ranks 15th on this list and counts 100 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 16 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus · Norman, OK | $40,097 | $15,300 | $10,509 | 76.6% |
|  | [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/majors/) carries a [median federal debt of $21,063](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/cost/) among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years out earn a median of $40,097. |
| 17 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $39,473 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
|  | [Texas State University](/school/texas-state-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $16,805](/school/texas-state-university/cost/) and ranks 40th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 18 | Emory University · Atlanta, GA | $39,369 | $22,585 | $7,363 | 10.7% |
|  | [Emory University](/school/emory-university/majors/) [ranks 123rd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/emory-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $39,369 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 19 | Stevenson University · Owings Mills, MD | $38,813 | $26,505 | $15,894 | 78.9% |
|  | Stevenson University posts median earnings of $38,813 four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 20 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $37,958 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
|  | [Virginia Commonwealth University](/school/virginia-commonwealth-university/majors/) [admits 93% of applicants](/school/virginia-commonwealth-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $37,958 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 21 | University of Central Arkansas · Conway, AR | $37,484 | $16,511 | $14,656 | 89.5% |
|  | [University of Central Arkansas](/school/university-of-central-arkansas/majors/) ranks 21st on this list, with an [average net price of $16,511](/school/university-of-central-arkansas/cost/) and 43 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 22 | Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN | $37,274 | $13,359 | $9,289 | 69.1% |
|  | [Middle Tennessee State University](/school/middle-tennessee-state-university/majors/) reports a [median federal debt of $18,797](/school/middle-tennessee-state-university/cost/) among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $37,274 four years after completing. |
| 23 | John Brown University · Siloam Springs, AR | $36,796 | $20,397 | $17,484 | 76.1% |
|  | John Brown University ranks 1063rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $20,397. |
| 24 | Clayton State University · Morrow, GA | $36,510 | $8,365 | $7,405 | 68.5% |
|  | [Clayton State University](/school/clayton-state-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $36,510](/school/clayton-state-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $8,365. |
| 25 | University of North Carolina Wilmington · Wilmington, NC | $34,184 | $20,109 | $10,778 | 64.2% |
|  | [University of North Carolina Wilmington](/school/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/majors/) reports [median earnings of $34,184](/school/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with 84 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 26 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | $29,685 | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Dallas, [Southern Methodist University](/school/southern-methodist-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $40,892](/school/southern-methodist-university/cost/) and an admission rate of 63%. |
| 27 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $27,204 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
|  | [University of Houston](/school/university-of-houston/majors/) ranks 27th on this list and reports [median earnings of $27,204](/school/university-of-houston/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 28 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette · Lafayette, LA | $25,967 | $13,530 | $11,157 | 87.0% |
|  | Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates from [University of Louisiana at Lafayette](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/majors/) report [median earnings of $25,967](/school/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/outcomes/) four years after completing, with 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 29 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $24,035 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 38%](/school/university-of-georgia/admissions/), [University of Georgia](/school/university-of-georgia/majors/) reports an average net price of $8,085 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 30 | Saint Edward's University · Austin, TX | $23,649 | $25,578 | $20,799 | 81.4% |
|  | [Saint Edward's University](/school/saint-edwards-university/majors/) ranks 30th on this list, with [median earnings of $23,649](/school/saint-edwards-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing and 7 graduates in the earnings cohort. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Photography graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 6 of the 30 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 first-ranked American University and second-ranked University of Miami is $629.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in the South for Social Mobility
-   [Best Art & Design Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-the-south/)