by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 13 U.S. colleges awarded 135 degrees and certificates in Documentary Production. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 58% of graduates. College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Documentary Production Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $25,545 one year after completing, rising to $44,683 after four years.
A degree in Documentary Production covers Documentary Production. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Produce Nonfiction Film And Video. Includes Instruction In Film And Video Writing, Directing, And Production; Film Studies; History Of The Documentary; Research Techniques; Videography; Editing; And Business Aspects Of Film Production.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, documentary production is a popular field of study, with 135 degrees awarded annually. 13 colleges award documentary production degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 74.
By level, the 135 awards include 9 certificates, 48 bachelor’s degrees and 78 master’s degrees.
Women earned 53% of documentary production degrees and certificates in the latest year (72 of 135). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (86) and Black or African American (16), and international students earned 14.
College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Documentary Production Schools ranking, including 3 for bachelor’s degrees and 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks documentary production schools within 2 states. In all, 13 colleges offer documentary production programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Documentary Production Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common documentary production credential is the master’s degree: 78 of the 135 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to documentary production call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Communications and Media and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a documentary production degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 9 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 48 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 78 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to documentary production, at 38.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 38.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 26.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 15.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.2% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
8 occupations are related to Documentary Production, with an average median salary of $80,634; the strongest outlook belongs to Media Programming Directors, at 11.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Assistant Professor, Media Arts Professor, Professor and Adjunct Professor.
The occupation related to documentary production with the most projected jobs is Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 919,494 | -1.5% |
| Producers and Directors | 355,369 | -3.9% |
| Film and Video Editors | 354,104 | 10.0% |
| Talent Directors | 163,716 | -3.3% |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | 136,436 | -2.6% |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | 107,517 | 10.9% |
| Media Programming Directors | 98,123 | 11.2% |
Documentary Production graduates earn a median $25,545 one year after completing their program, $44,683 after four years and $41,826 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $25,545 |
| 4 years | $44,683 |
| 5 years | $41,826 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to documentary production is Communications Teachers, Postsecondary, with a median salary of $96,169.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $96,169 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $92,043 |
| Media Programming Directors | $90,799 |
| Producers and Directors | $90,515 |
| Film and Video Editors | $89,576 |
| Talent Directors | $73,937 |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | $65,049 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Documentary Production has 4 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 19,087 degrees a year; the largest are Cinematography and Film/Video Production (9,910), Film/Cinema/Media Studies (5,629) and Photography (2,082). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cinematography and Film/Video Production | 9,910 |
| Film/Cinema/Media Studies | 5,629 |
| Photography | 2,082 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other | 1,466 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
