Best institutions to study Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Any instructional program in film/video and photographic arts not listed above.
38 U.S. institutions graduated 1,438 Film/Video and Photographic Arts students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 50.0699, a specialization of Film/Video and Photographic Arts (CIP 50.06), and leads most directly to the Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary occupation (BLS SOC 25-1121).
About Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs
Any instructional program in film/video and photographic arts not listed above.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Film/Video and Photographic Arts program offers students an opportunity to explore various aspects of visual storytelling through film and photography. This program is designed for individuals passionate about the arts and seeking to develop their creative skills in a structured academic environment. Students will engage in hands-on learning and critical analysis, preparing them for a range of artistic careers. With a focus on both technical and conceptual aspects of visual arts, this program caters to aspiring filmmakers, photographers, and educators. It provides a comprehensive foundation in the field, making it ideal for those looking to pursue advanced studies or enter the workforce in creative industries.
Students in the Film/Video and Photographic Arts program will develop essential skills in speaking, critical thinking, and active learning. Coursework often includes fine arts, communications, and media studies, equipping students with the knowledge necessary to evaluate artistic techniques and engage with various forms of visual expression.
Credentials awarded
What Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree1,154 graduates / yr · 27 institutions80%
- Associate's degree164 graduates / yr · 6 institutions11%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year96 graduates / yr · 4 institutions6.7%
- Master's degree18 graduates / yr · 4 institutions1.3%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years5 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.3%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
Graduates over time
Film/Video and Photographic Arts completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,191 |
| 2013 | 1,430 |
| 2014 | 1,405 |
| 2015 | 898 |
| 2016 | 904 |
| 2017 | 962 |
| 2018 | 1,165 |
| 2019 | 1,234 |
| 2020 | 1,313 |
| 2021 | 1,520 |
| 2022 | 1,479 |
| 2023 | 1,463 |
| 2024 | 1,403 |
| 2025 | 1,438 |
Top 38 institutions for Film/Video and Photographic Arts, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FLPrivate for-profitBachelor'sAssociate's | 403 | 44% | $32,163 | $24,078 |
| 2 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 121 | 75% | — | $23,614 |
| 3 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor's | 105 | 0% | — | $31,148 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Film School Hollywood, CAPrivate for-profitBachelor's | 92 | 41% | $32,792 | $22,596 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor's | 73 | 68% | — | $31,148 |
| 6 | School of Visual Arts New York, NYPrivate for-profitBachelor's | 72 | 76% | $58,518 | $20,312 |
| 7 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SCPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 69 | 79% | — | $23,686 |
| 8 | Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GAPublicBachelor'sAssociate's | 55 | 21% | — | — |
| 9 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 50 | 89% | $41,764 | $17,701 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor's | 35 | 85% | — | $29,958 |
| 11 | DSDT Detroit, MIPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 34 | 41% | $24,540 | $27,870 |
| 12 | Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 33 | 58% | — | — |
| 13 | Ithaca College Ithaca, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 31 | 76% | $28,970 | $23,782 |
| 14 | Savannah Technical College Savannah, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 42% | — | — |
| 15 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 22 | 69% | — | $22,764 |
| 16 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MIPublicBachelor's | 22 | 58% | — | $26,502 |
| 17 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor's | 21 | 69% | — | — |
| 18 | Lesley University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 16 | 58% | $30,837 | $31,846 |
| 19 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor's | 16 | 88% | — | — |
| 20 | Greenfield Community College Greenfield, MAPublicAssociate's | 15 | 31% | — | — |
| 21 | Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha, NEPublicAssociate's | 15 | 29% | — | $39,877 |
| 22 | Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico San Juan, PRPublicBachelor's | 13 | 45% | — | — |
| 23 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PAPublicBachelor's | 13 | 52% | — | — |
| 24 | Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 12 | 55% | $32,031 | — |
| 25 | Hampshire College Amherst, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 54% | $22,968 | — |
| 26 | Robert Morris University Moon Township, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 66% | $24,175 | — |
| 27 | Fairfield University Fairfield, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 84% | $36,845 | — |
| 28 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 79% | $34,418 | — |
| 29 | Seattle Film Institute Seattle, WAPrivate for-profitMaster's | 8 | 57% | $41,903 | $30,789 |
| 30 | Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, MIPublicAssociate's | 7 | 21% | — | — |
| 31 | Glendale Community College Glendale, AZPublicAssociate's | 5 | 16% | — | — |
| 32 | Colegio de Cinematografía Artes y Television Bayamon, PRPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 5 | 47% | $4,177 | $7,470 |
| 33 | Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 31% | — | — |
| 34 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 4 | 92% | $18,174 | — |
| 35 | Montserrat College of Art Beverly, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 53% | $34,176 | — |
| 36 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 51% | $24,998 | $26,156 |
| 37 | Chatham University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 63% | $23,700 | — |
| 38 | La Roche University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 57% | $20,380 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Film/Video and Photographic Arts field (CIP 50.06) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 17 states & territories
Where Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates come from. Each state links to all Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2 | 415 | Full Sail University403 / yr |
| California | 2 | 213 | University of California - Santa Cruz121 / yr |
| Arizona | 3 | 183 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion105 / yr |
| Georgia | 4 | 117 | Georgia Gwinnett College55 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 103 | School of Visual Arts72 / yr |
| South Carolina | 1 | 69 | University of South Carolina - Columbia69 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 5 | 66 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design22 / yr |
| Michigan | 3 | 63 | DSDT34 / yr |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 50 | Rhode Island School of Design50 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 37 | Pennsylvania Western University13 / yr |
| Minnesota | 2 | 36 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities35 / yr |
| Louisiana | 1 | 21 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College21 / yr |
| Puerto Rico | 2 | 18 | Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico13 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 16 | Ohio State University - Main Campus16 / yr |
| Nebraska | 1 | 15 | Metropolitan Community College Area15 / yr |
| Connecticut | 1 | 8 | Fairfield University8 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 8 | Seattle Film Institute8 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 25-1121, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as postsecondary art, drama, and music teachers, among other roles in the creative sector. The job outlook for these positions shows little or no change, with an annual opening of approximately 9,000 jobs and a median wage of $80,190. A master's degree is typically required for advancement in this field.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 50.0699
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondaryprimary SOC 25-1121 | $78,620 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~9,000 | Master's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Tools and technology used
Other Film/Video and Photographic Arts specializations
The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Film/Video and Photographic Arts (CIP 50.06).
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 38 colleges offering the Film/Video and Photographic Arts program in the United States.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, critical thinking, active learning, and more, essential for a career in the arts.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 9,000 annual openings in related fields.
What is the CIP code for Film/Video and Photographic Arts?+
Film/Video and Photographic Arts is CIP 50.0699 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Film/Video and Photographic Arts (CIP 50.06). NCES defines it as: Any instructional program in film/video and photographic arts not listed above.
How many institutions offer Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs?+
38 U.S. institutions reported Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 17 states & territories, awarding 1,438 credentials in the year. That is 7.7% of all Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates.
How much do Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary occupation, which Film/Video and Photographic Arts most directly leads to, pays a median of $78,620 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Film/Video and Photographic Arts field report median earnings of $26,156 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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