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# Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs by Earnings

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks 155 Film, Video and Photographic Arts programs in the United States by median earnings of Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) leads the list at $70,963, followed by [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) at $66,494 and [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) at $63,679.

The gap between the top two is $4,469. Across the list, median earnings range from $70,963 to $15,552, with a median of $43,025.

For 29 of the 155 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 54% of the list, with 84 public and 71 private nonprofit schools represented. University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984, while Liberty University reports the highest admission rate at 99%.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 155 schools in list order

| 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](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [median earnings of $70,963](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with 82 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $66,494 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
|  | [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) [admits 65% of applicants](/school/chapman-university/admissions/) and shows median federal debt of $18,500 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 3 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $63,679 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
|  | [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) [ranks 30th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $24,406. |
| 4 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $62,385 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
|  | Seattle University posts median earnings of $62,385 for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $22,896 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 5 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $61,500 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
|  | [Loyola Marymount University](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/) ranks 5th on this list and reports [median federal debt of $22,625](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/) among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 6 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $59,960 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
|  | [Tufts University](/school/tufts-university/majors/) carries an [admission rate of 11%](/school/tufts-university/admissions/) and a school-wide median federal debt of $16,250 across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 7 | New York University · New York, NY | $58,720 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
|  | [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $58,720](/school/new-york-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with 407 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 8 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $58,623 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) [ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-southern-california/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $13,516 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 9 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $57,999 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | Median federal debt among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed at [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) is $17,500, and the school [admits 42% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-davis/admissions/). |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $57,059 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
|  | [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) posts [median earnings of $57,059](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,138. |
| 11 | Marymount Manhattan College · New York, NY | $55,285 | $36,861 | $30,722 | 82.6% |
|  | [Marymount Manhattan College](/school/marymount-manhattan-college/majors/) ranks 11th on this list and carries an [average net price of $30,722](/school/marymount-manhattan-college/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 12 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $54,738 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
|  | [Fordham University](/school/fordham-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $25,000](/school/fordham-university/cost/) among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 59%. |
| 13 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $54,115 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
|  | [Syracuse University](/school/syracuse-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $54,115](/school/syracuse-university/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $26,875 among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 14 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · Norton, MA | $54,106 | $29,822 | $20,076 | 67.7% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Norton, [Wheaton College (Massachusetts)](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/majors/) [admits 68% of applicants](/school/wheaton-college-massachusetts/admissions/) and ranks 1169th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $53,695 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $15,564,](/school/brigham-young-university/cost/) and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $53,695. |
| 16 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $52,970 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% |
|  | [Rochester Institute of Technology](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/majors/) ranks 16th on this list, with 113 graduates in the earnings cohort and a [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/cost/) among Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 17 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $52,699 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,699](/school/university-of-california-riverside/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $8,852 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 18 | American University · Washington, DC | $52,661 | $41,943 | $23,233 | 62.0% |
|  | [American University](/school/american-university/majors/) [admits 62% of applicants](/school/american-university/admissions/) and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $52,661. |
| 19 | Pace University · New York, NY | $52,368 | $30,892 | $26,473 | 75.9% |
|  | [Pace University](/school/pace-university/majors/) [ranks 441st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/pace-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Film, Video and Photographic Arts completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $25,313. |
| 20 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $52,105 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
|  | [Purdue University-Main Campus](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,105](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $5,098 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 21 | Quinnipiac University · Hamden, CT | $52,094 | $40,675 | $33,649 | 72.2% |
|  | [Quinnipiac University](/school/quinnipiac-university/majors/) [admits 72% of applicants](/school/quinnipiac-university/admissions/) and reports 43 graduates in the earnings cohort for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts program. |
| 22 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $52,032 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
|  | [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) ranks 22nd on this list, with [median earnings of $52,032](/school/university-of-miami/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 23 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $51,423 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | With 175 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) reports [median earnings of $51,423](/school/university-of-california-irvine/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 24 | College of Staten Island CUNY · Staten Island, NY | $51,363 | $5,579 | $3,903 | 92.3% |
|  | [College of Staten Island CUNY](/school/college-of-staten-island-cuny/majors/) reports [median earnings of $51,363](/school/college-of-staten-island-cuny/outcomes/) for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $14,350. |
| 25 | Rhode Island School of Design · Providence, RI | $51,278 | $50,507 | $29,135 | 18.7% |
|  | Rhode Island School of Design admits 19% of applicants and reports $51,278 in median earnings for its Film, Video and Photographic Arts graduates four years after completing. |

Continue by region[Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-film-video-and-photographic-arts-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-film-video-and-photographic-arts-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Top Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the South](/rankings/best-film-video-and-photographic-arts-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Film, Video and Photographic Arts Programs in the West](/rankings/best-film-video-and-photographic-arts-programs-in-the-west/)

## 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 United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 29 of the 155 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, with the top program reporting $70,963 and the second $66,494.

## Related rankings

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