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Film, Video & Photographic Arts

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 50.0601 - 50.0699.

Types of Degrees Film, Video & Photographic Arts Majors Are Earning

Those studying Film, Video & Photographic Arts can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	825
Associate’s Degree	1,657
Bachelor’s Degree	13,024
Master’s Degree	3,295
Doctor’s Degree	51

What Film, Video & Photographic Arts Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Film, Video & Photographic Arts build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Film, Video & Photographic Arts emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Fine Arts — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Film, Video & Photographic Arts program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Film, Video & Photographic Arts careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Film, Video & Photographic Arts professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Adobe Audition	Music or sound editing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates include:

• University Faculty Member
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Assistant Professor
• Media Arts Professor
• College Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Dance Instructor
• Music Professor
• Lighting Design Lecturer
• Baton Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	35.4%
Bachelor’s degree	27.5%
Doctoral degree	19.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.7%
Some college courses	2.2%
Postsecondary certificate	1.5%
Post-doctoral training	1.1%
Post-master’s certificate	1.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.9%
First professional degree	0.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Film, Video & Photographic Arts?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 47.7% women and 52.3% men among Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	9,035	47.7%
Men	9,892	52.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	8,681	45.9%
Asian	1,159	6.1%
Hispanic or Latino	3,642	19.2%
Black or African American	1,955	10.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	80	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	23	0.1%
Two or More Races	943	5.0%
Race Unknown	546	2.9%
International Students	1,898	10.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Film, Video & Photographic Arts Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,545
4 years	$35,590
5 years	$41,647

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,647 — roughly 63% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Film, Video & Photographic Arts Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Film, Video & Photographic Arts. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	8	18
Bachelor’s	13	12
Master’s	8	5

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Film, Video & Photographic Arts Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates earn a median of $35,590 four years after completion — about 6% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Visual and Performing Arts	153,937
Design and Applied Arts	38,798
Fine and Studio Arts	37,770
Music	25,853
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	16,640
Visual and Performing Arts, General	7,225
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	4,430
Dance	3,274
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	941
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry	67
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art	12
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.