Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the West
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in the West
Regional list from Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs by Earnings
This page ranks the 39 Film, Video and Photographic Arts programs in the West by median earnings of Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. University of California-Berkeley leads the list with median earnings of $70,963 for its graduates.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $47,091, with a range from $70,963 at the top to $20,140 at the bottom. For 5 of the 39 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 26 public and 13 private nonprofit institutions. University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports the lowest average net price on the page, at $8,889.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $70,963 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley reports median earnings of $70,963 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
| 2 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $66,494 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| Chapman University admits 65% of applicants and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $18,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 3 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $62,385 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
| A private nonprofit university in Seattle, Seattle University ranks 3rd on this list with median earnings of $62,385 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $61,500 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
| Loyola Marymount University posts an average net price of $48,381 and a median of $22,625 in federal debt among its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 5 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $58,623 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports 178 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 6 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $57,999 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| Median earnings for University of California-Davis's Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates reach $57,999 four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $14,741. | |||||
| 7 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $53,695 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
| Brigham Young University carries a median federal debt of $11,894 among its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 68%. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $52,699 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| University of California-Riverside reports 206 graduates in the earnings cohort and median earnings of $52,699 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $51,423 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| An admission rate of 29% coincides with median earnings of $51,423 for University of California-Irvine's Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $50,904 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| University of California-Los Angeles ranks 22nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $12,548. | |||||
| 11 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $50,499 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| Graduates of University of Oregon's Film, Video and Photographic Arts program earn a median of $50,499 four years after completing, and the school admits 88% of applicants. | |||||
| 12 | Woodbury University · Burbank, CA | $50,387 | $33,692 | $28,815 | 81.7% |
| Woodbury University carries a median federal debt of $26,000 among its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed and an average net price of $33,692. | |||||
| 13 | George Fox University · Newberg, OR | $50,003 | $31,679 | $22,871 | 93.5% |
| George Fox University reports median earnings of $50,003 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $20,840 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 14 | Art Center College of Design · Pasadena, CA | $49,933 | $48,661 | $39,645 | 74.5% |
| Art Center College of Design admits 75% of applicants and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $49,933 four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $49,893 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara carries an average net price of $16,109 and ranks 66th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 16 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $49,841 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
| With median earnings of $49,841 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, University of Utah ranks 16th on this list. | |||||
| 17 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $49,759 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion shows an average net price of $9,070 for families earning under $30,000 and a median federal debt of $19,250 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 18 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $48,800 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
| Northern Arizona University reports median earnings of $48,800 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 17 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 19 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $47,149 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University admits 96% of applicants and ranks 51st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 20 | Mount Saint Mary's University · Los Angeles, CA | $47,091 | $21,413 | $23,849 | 73.1% |
| Mount Saint Mary's University ranks 20th on this list, with a median federal debt of $26,188 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 21 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $46,245 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt reports median earnings of $46,245 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $8,483 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 22 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $45,815 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz carries an average net price of $17,890 and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $45,815 four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Montana State University · Bozeman, MT | $45,300 | $22,499 | $17,797 | 82.1% |
| Montana State University admits 82% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $22,125 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 24 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $45,152 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
| Central Washington University ranks 24th on this list, with median earnings of $45,152 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 25 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $44,145 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| University of Arizona reports median earnings of $44,145 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,674. | |||||
| 26 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $42,392 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| California State University-Sacramento ranks 26th on this list and posts an admission rate of 94%, with a cohort of 72 graduates in the earnings data. | |||||
| 27 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV | $42,317 | $10,359 | $8,526 | 96.2% |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas shows median federal debt of $17,500 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earned a median of $42,317. | |||||
| 28 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $41,639 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
| Portland State University ranks 135th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and lists median earnings of $41,639 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | California College of ASU · Los Angeles, CA | $40,359 | $17,683 | $15,386 | Not reported |
| A private nonprofit institution in Los Angeles, California College of ASU shows an average net price of $17,683 and a median of $26,666 in federal debt among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 30 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $39,720 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder admits 78% of applicants and reports median earnings of $39,720 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 31 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $39,404 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University ranks 31st on this list, with a school-wide median federal debt of $19,500 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 32 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $37,880 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% |
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus posts an average net price of $8,889 and median earnings of $37,880 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | The University of Montana · Missoula, MT | $36,169 | $16,784 | $13,960 | 95.9% |
| The University of Montana ranks 829th 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 $25,011 in federal loans. | |||||
| 34 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $33,993 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus admits 39% of applicants and lists an average net price of $14,091 alongside median earnings of $33,993 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 35 | California Institute of the Arts · Valencia, CA | $29,426 | $46,080 | $26,686 | 32.3% |
| California Institute of the Arts ranks 35th on this list, with a cohort of 21 graduates in the earnings data and median federal debt of $27,000 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 36 | Whitman College · Walla Walla, WA | $25,194 | $33,313 | $13,567 | 38.2% |
| Whitman College reports median earnings of $25,194 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $33,313. | |||||
| 37 | New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM | $24,035 | $14,838 | $13,511 | Not reported |
| New Mexico Highlands University ranks 37th on this list and reports median earnings of $24,035 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 7. | |||||
| 38 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $21,964 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus admits 95% of applicants and posts an average net price of $15,489, while its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $21,964 four years after completing. | |||||
| 39 | University of Denver · Denver, CO | $20,140 | $36,131 | $20,097 | 77.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Denver, University of Denver has an average net price of $20,097 for families earning under $30,000 and sits 812th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
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 West appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 5 of the 39 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 California-Berkeley and Chapman University is $4,469, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $50,823.