Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Types of Degrees Film, Video & Photographic Arts Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many film, video and photographic arts graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1,963 |
| Graduate Certificate | 56 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 47 |
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What Film, Video & Photographic Arts Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to film and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Film Majors
Film majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Skills for Film Majors
film majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Abilities for Film Majors
Film majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
What Can You Do With a Film, Video & Photographic Arts Major?
People with a film degree often go into the following careers:
| Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Professors | 12.0% | $69,960 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture | 7.2% | $54,570 |
| Communications Professors | 10.0% | $68,910 |
| Directors- Stage, Motion Pictures, Television, and Radio | 12.2% | $71,680 |
| Film and Video Editors | 17.0% | $62,650 |
| Producers | 12.2% | $71,680 |
| Program Directors | 12.2% | $71,680 |
| Technical Directors/Managers | 12.2% | $71,680 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Film, Video & Photographic Arts?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of film majors is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 97 |
| Black or African American | 211 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 156 |
| White | 696 |
| International Students | 672 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 131 |
Geographic Diversity
Students from other countries are interested in Film, too. About 34.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- South Korea
- India
- Brazil
- Mexico
How Much Do Film, Video & Photographic Arts Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a master’s degree in film, video and photographic arts made a median starting salary of $29,850 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $25,325 (25th percentile) and $31,825 (75th percentile).
It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to film.
Salaries According to BLS
Film majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $61,750 to $86,830 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Some degrees associated with film may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for film careers below.
| Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.8% |
| High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 10.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 4.0% |
| Some College Courses | 8.5% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 11.4% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 35.6% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 0.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 17.9% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 0.4% |
| First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. | 1.3% |
| Doctoral Degree | 8.6% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 1.0% |
Online Film, Video & Photographic Arts Programs
In 2018-2019, 634 schools offered a film program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
| Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 141 | 2 |
| Certificate (1-2 years) | 92 | 1 |
| Certificate (2-4 Years) | 9 | 3 |
| Associate’s Degree | 188 | 8 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 15 | 1 |
| Post-Baccalaureate | 141 | 2 |
| Master’s Degree | 137 | 9 |
| Post-Master’s | 5 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 17 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Film, Video & Photographic Arts Worth It?
The median salary for a film grad is $78,090 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 96% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $763,800 after 20 years!
Majors Related to Film, Video & Photographic Arts
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to film.
| Major | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 40,751 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 36,179 |
| Music | 26,968 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,726 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 5,720 |
| Arts & Media Management | 4,766 |
| Dance | 3,234 |
| Other Visual Art | 1,071 |
| Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry | 124 |
References
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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