Bachelor's · San Francisco, California
Is Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Academy of Art University worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Graduates typically don't earn back the cost within 20 years, compared with the no-degree baseline.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $42,793
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $50,189
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $32,000
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $208k (likely $177k – $253k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $10k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- Not within 20 years in most scenarios
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$351k (likely −$454k – −$262k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$211k (likely −$347k – −$61k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 33%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 10%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Film/Video and Photographic Arts at other schools
🎨 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward art, design & performance majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP 2-D Art and Design
- AP Drawing
- AP Art History
- AP Music Theory
IB Higher Level
- Visual Arts HL
- Music HL or Theatre HL or Film HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at Academy of Art University
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's)$87,998
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's)$73,398
- Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Master's)$71,613
- Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)$66,783
- Graphic Communications (Master's)$64,026
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Master's)$62,856
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Associate's)$60,731
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Bachelor's)$60,284
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's)$58,879
- Design and Applied Arts (Master's)$57,636
- Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's)$54,087
- Visual and Performing Arts, General (Master's)$51,874
Film/Video and Photographic Arts at other schools in California
- University of California-Berkeley$70,963
- Chapman University$66,494
- Loyola Marymount University$61,500
- University of Southern California$58,623
- University of California-Davis$57,999
- University of California-Riverside$52,699
- University of California-Irvine$51,423
- University of California-Los Angeles$50,904
- Woodbury University$50,387
- Art Center College of Design$49,933