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.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 33 schools to find where film video and photographic arts graduates earn the most.
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.
Leading the list is American University, our #1 for film video and photographic arts graduate salaries in the Middle Atlantic Region. Located in the city of Washington, American University 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 $68,325.
Students chasing top earnings in film video and photographic arts will find them at Vassar College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar College is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Vassar College earn a median of about $64,947 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Point Park University earned it the #3 place for film video and photographic arts. Point Park University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,856.
Students chasing top earnings in film video and photographic arts will find them at Rutgers University New Brunswick, which ranked #4. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public institution. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick make a median of around $38,508 per year.
Rutgers University Newark came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Located in the city of Newark, Rutgers University Newark is a public institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Rutgers University Newark typically earn about $38,508 annually.
Rochester Institute Of Technology placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Rochester Institute Of Technology typically earn about $51,613 annually.
Montclair State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Located in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a public institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,366.
Fordham University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Set in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Fordham University make a median of around $36,704 per year.
University At Buffalo placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a public institution. Students who complete the film video and photographic arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,882.
Cuny City College came in at #10 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a public institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Cuny City College typically earn about $47,856 annually.
New York University came in at #11 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of New York University earn a median of about $55,300 a year early in their careers.
Suny At Binghamton ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Located in the suburb of Vestal, Suny At Binghamton is a public institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Suny At Binghamton earn a median of about $53,340 a year early in their careers.
The New School came in at #13 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of New York, The New School is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from The New School typically earn about $53,471 annually.
Pace University New York placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Pace University New York is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Pace University New York make a median of around $54,429 per year.
Cuny Hunter College placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a public institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Cuny Hunter College earn a median of about $48,104 a year early in their careers.
Desales University landed the #16 spot for film video and photographic arts salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Center Valley, Desales University is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Desales University earn a median of about $48,623 a year early in their careers.
Ithaca College placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Located in the suburb of Ithaca, Ithaca College is a private not-for-profit institution. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of Ithaca College earn a median of about $44,112 a year early in their careers.
Temple University landed the #18 spot for film video and photographic arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a public institution. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Temple University make a median of around $42,474 per year.
Suny College At Oswego came in at #19 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Suny College At Oswego is a public school located in the town of Oswego. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Suny College At Oswego make a median of around $44,107 per year.
Long Island University C W Post Campus earned the #20 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Long Island University C W Post Campus is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Brookville. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Long Island University C W Post Campus make a median of around $29,778 per year.
School Of Visual Arts earned the #21 position for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of New York, School Of Visual Arts is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from School Of Visual Arts typically earn about $38,477 annually.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus landed the #22 spot for film video and photographic arts salaries this year. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Film Video And Photographic Arts graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of about $28,634 a year early in their careers.
Cuny Brooklyn College came in at #23 for film video and photographic arts graduate earnings this year. Cuny Brooklyn College is a public school located in the city of Brooklyn. After graduating, film video and photographic arts degree recipients from Cuny Brooklyn College typically earn about $35,878 annually.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying film video and photographic arts schools. Columbia University In The City Of New York 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 $30,077.
Syracuse University placed #25 among the highest-paying schools for film video and photographic arts. Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Early-career film video and photographic arts graduates from Syracuse University make a median of around $26,331 per year.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning film video and photographic arts graduates:
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 · 33 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.