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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5006

Film/Video and Photographic Arts: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 15 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$33,622 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$33,622Median year-4 earnings

$22,317Average institution net-price context

$9,830Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$33,622Median reported earnings · year 4

$27,443Average reported earnings · year 5

$9,830Median federal debt

16thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

15Reporting programs

12With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $33,622
Federal debt: $9,830
Reporting programs: 15

12 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $32,202
Federal debt: $18,521
Reporting programs: 15

15 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $44,232
Federal debt: $25,000
Reporting programs: 162

155 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $52,729
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 22

22 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$25,097National median$33,62275th percentile$34,831

12 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Minneapolis Community and Technical College$40,579 2Seattle Film Institute$38,787 3Boise State University$37,111 4Savannah Technical College$34,831 5Nashville Film Institute$34,240 6Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology$33,668 7New York Film Academy$31,769 8Illinois Media School$31,567 9West Los Angeles College$25,097 10MediaTech Institute-Dallas$24,786

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1121 · 5 crosswalk linksProducers and DirectorsSOC 27-2012 · 3 crosswalk linksCamera Operators, Television, Video, and FilmSOC 27-4031 · 2 crosswalk linksFilm and Video EditorsSOC 27-4032 · 2 crosswalk linksCommunications Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1122 · 1 crosswalk linksPhotographersSOC 27-4021 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR FILM/VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Minneapolis, MN	$40,579	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,812
2	Seattle Film InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Seattle, WA	$38,787	$19,328	Baseline needed	$41,595
3	Boise State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Boise, ID	$37,111	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,610
4	Savannah Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Savannah, GA	$34,831	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,114
5	Nashville Film InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Nashville, TN	$34,240	$9,058	Baseline needed	$25,472
6	Florida Institute of Recording Sound and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Orlando, FL	$33,668	$7,853	Baseline needed	Not available
7	New York Film AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Burbank, CA	$31,769	$9,500	Baseline needed	$39,011
8	Illinois Media SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chicago, IL	$31,567	$15,833	Baseline needed	$27,238
9	West Los Angeles CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Culver City, CA	$25,097	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,634
10	MediaTech Institute-DallasUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Dallas, TX	$24,786	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,873
11	Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y TelevisionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Bayamon, PR	$19,313	Not available	Baseline needed	$1,460
12	Full Sail UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Winter Park, FL	Not available	$25,709	Baseline needed	$38,875
13	Ohio Media School-Valley ViewUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Valley View, OH	Not available	$15,833	Baseline needed	$24,111
14	DsdtUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Detroit, MI	Not available	$9,830	Baseline needed	Not available
15	Digital Film AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$33,576	$9,500	Baseline needed	Not available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.