by our College Data Analytics Team
[Film Video And Photographic Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a film video and photographic arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 22 schools on the early-career earnings of their film video and photographic arts graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send film video and photographic arts graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
For graduate earnings in film video and photographic arts, no school beat American University this year. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of American University earn a median of about $66,919 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Los Angeles produces some of the highest-paid graduates in film video and photographic arts, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of California Los Angeles is a public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,538.
Ohio University Main Campus produces some of the highest-paid graduates in film video and photographic arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $48,420.
Students chasing top earnings in film video and photographic arts will find them at Academy Of Art University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of San Francisco, Academy Of Art University is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,584.
Strong graduate earnings at Regent University earned it the #5 place for film video and photographic arts. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Regent University typically earn about $44,205 annually.
Savannah College Of Art And Design came in at #6 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Savannah College Of Art And Design is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Savannah. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,241.
Chapman University came in at #7 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Chapman University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Chapman University make a median of around $61,371 per year.
Columbia College Chicago earned the #8 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of about $50,348 a year early in their careers.
University Of Southern California placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from University Of Southern California make a median of around $61,697 per year.
School Of Visual Arts placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Set in the city of New York, School Of Visual Arts is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $45,565.
Loyola Marymount University placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Loyola Marymount University typically earn about $53,911 annually.
Depaul University earned the #12 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Depaul University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Depaul University typically earn about $50,631 annually.
Florida State University landed the #13 spot for film video and photographic arts salaries this year. Florida State University is a public school located in the city of Tallahassee. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Florida State University earn a median of about $33,151 a year early in their careers.
Cuny Brooklyn College came in at #14 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Brooklyn College is a public institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Cuny Brooklyn College earn a median of about $33,095 a year early in their careers.
American Film Institute Conservatory ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, American Film Institute Conservatory is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of American Film Institute Conservatory earn a median of about $48,347 a year early in their careers.
Columbia University In The City Of New York came in at #16 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of about $30,077 a year early in their careers.
Full Sail University earned the #17 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Winter Park, Full Sail University is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,432.
New York University came in at #18 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. New York University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $46,519.
California Institute Of The Arts earned the #19 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Valencia, California Institute Of The Arts is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $36,024.
New York Film Academy ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Located in the city of Burbank, New York Film Academy is a private for-profit institution. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from New York Film Academy make a median of around $36,855 per year.
University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts landed the #21 spot for film video and photographic arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Winston Salem, University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a public institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts earn a median of about $22,901 a year early in their careers.
Seattle Film Institute ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle Film Institute is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Seattle Film Institute typically earn about $13,476 annually.
Explore the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools at other degree levels:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries film video and photographic arts graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 22 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.