Best Film/Video and Photographic Arts Schools in California

California has 23 colleges offering Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 1,903 recent graduates. Graduates earn $26,048 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $25,532.

Schools in CA

$26,048

CA Avg. Earnings

$25,532

National Avg.

181

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Film/Video and Photographic Arts in California

Public Schools (11)

$26,338

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (9)

$26,813

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $475 more in early earnings on average, but typically cost more. Compare net price to determine which offers better ROI.

Film/Video and Photographic Arts Schools in California, Ranked by Earnings

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,313

Graduates: 39

Acceptance: 11.7%

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$37,568

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $33,357

Graduates: 155

Acceptance: 55.6%

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$32,711

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,075

Graduates: 79

Acceptance: 40.3%

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$29,557

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $35,793

Graduates: 185

Acceptance: 10.0%

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$22,482

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,210

Graduates: 46

Acceptance: 41.6%

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$25,503

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,281

Graduates: 144

Acceptance: 63.3%

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

$23,340

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,145

Graduates: 92

Acceptance: 25.6%

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$33,993

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,409

Graduates: 29

Acceptance: 8.7%

Woodbury University

Burbank, CA · Private

$25,774

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,051

Graduates: 19

Acceptance: 72.9%

#10

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, CA · Private

$20,824

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,685

Graduates: 77

Acceptance: 75.0%

#11

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$29,064

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,057

Graduates: 112

Acceptance: 27.8%

#12

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$24,151

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,940

Graduates: 186

Acceptance: 96.2%

#13

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$27,874

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,473

Graduates: 97

Acceptance: 93.2%

#15

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, CA ·

$27,203

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,710

Graduates: 135

Acceptance: N/A

#16

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$23,508

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,155

Graduates: 143

Acceptance: 62.5%

#18

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$27,126

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,831

Graduates: 72

Acceptance: 93.6%

#19

California College of ASU

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$22,268

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,661

Graduates: 84

Acceptance: N/A

#20

John Paul the Great Catholic University

Escondido, CA · Private

$25,658

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,428

Graduates: 49

Acceptance: 79.3%

#21

Los Angeles Film School

Hollywood, CA ·

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $18,984

Graduates: 60

Acceptance: N/A

#22

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, CA · Private

$20,140

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,992

Graduates: 63

Acceptance: 25.9%

#23

New York Film Academy

Burbank, CA ·

$16,169

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $12,850

Graduates: 37

Acceptance: N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Film/Video and Photographic Arts in California?

University of California-Berkeley ranks #1 for Film/Video and Photographic Arts in California with median graduate earnings of N/A within two years of graduation. There are 23 schools offering Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs in the state.

How much do Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earn in California?

Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates in California earn an average of $26,048 within two years of graduation. This is 2% above the national average of $25,532 for this major.

What is the hardest Film/Video and Photographic Arts school to get into in California?

University of California-Los Angeles is the most selective Film/Video and Photographic Arts program in California with an acceptance rate of 8.7%. The average acceptance rate across Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs in the state is 55.3%.

Should I attend a public or private school for Film/Video and Photographic Arts in California?

In California, private Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs produce average earnings of $26,813 vs $26,338 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 11 public and 9 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in California

Construction Management $81,700 Construction Engineering $81,610 Construction Engineering Technologies $76,343 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions $75,984 Computer Science $72,889 Computer Engineering $72,447 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions $71,074 Computer and Information Sciences, General $68,388

All colleges in California →

Film/Video and Photographic Arts in Other States

New York Pennsylvania Massachusetts Ohio Michigan Georgia Florida Washington Arizona New Jersey Minnesota Missouri View All →

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.