Best Film/Video and Photographic Arts Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
17
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$271,175
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$66,849
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
American University
Grad rate: 79.0% |
DC | +$65,362 | $52,423 | $71,549 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
DePaul University
Grad rate: 69.7% |
IL | -$20,454 | $46,924 | $59,467 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
CA | -$83,466 | $41,491 | $36,643 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Chapman University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
CA | -$116,534 | $44,306 | $81,327 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 | American Film Institute Conservatory | CA | -$127,780 | $35,611 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate: 80.6% |
CA | -$139,594 | $42,607 | $75,867 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Columbia College Chicago
Grad rate: 47.8% |
IL | -$222,698 | $35,845 | $49,799 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
CA | -$256,476 | $37,644 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Savannah College of Art and Design
Grad rate: 71.5% |
GA | -$265,720 | $34,681 | $59,670 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Boston University
Grad rate: 89.5% |
MA | -$293,028 | $35,618 | $82,694 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Academy of Art University
Grad rate: 42.4% |
CA | -$306,570 | $31,391 | $47,195 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Full Sail University
Grad rate: 45.0% |
FL | -$342,028 | $28,880 | $39,814 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
School of Visual Arts
Grad rate: 74.4% |
NY | -$384,312 | $30,286 | $75,016 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
NY | -$386,622 | $30,581 | $79,121 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Columbia University in the City of New York
Grad rate: 95.1% |
NY | -$505,144 | $25,347 | $86,042 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
California Institute of the Arts
Grad rate: 64.0% |
CA | -$564,150 | $21,635 | $78,425 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
New York Film Academy
Grad rate: 69.4% |
CA | -$660,762 | $15,191 | $62,291 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Film/Video and Photographic Arts Degrees by State
Browse Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.