Film & Photography: CUNY City College vs Eastern Washington University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
CUNY City College
New York, NY
In-State
11.4x
$29,360 tuition
9.8x
$33,412 tuition
Out-of-State
5.5x
$61,160 tuition
3.2x
$103,568 tuition
$26,918/yr starting · Public
$25,090/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

CUNY City College Eastern Washington University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.4x 9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.5x 3.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,360 $33,412
Year 1 Earnings $26,918 $25,090
10-Year Earnings $335K $327K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 46/100 43/100
Acceptance Rate 58.1% 91.8%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Film & Photography graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Film & Photography graduates.

CUNY City College Eastern Washington University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,360 $33,412
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $61,160 $103,568
10-Year Projected Earnings $335K $327K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.4x 9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.5x 3.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +78% +91%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Film & Photography (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

CUNY City College Eastern Washington University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $559K $335K $207K $579K $327K $193K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 19.0x 11.4x 7.1x 17.3x 9.8x 5.8x
DegreeWorth Score 51 46 40 49 43 36

For the full AI analysis of Film & Photography career paths, see the CUNY City College or Eastern Washington University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Film & Photography graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$4,052
CUNY City College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$1,828/yr
CUNY City College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
11.4x / 9.8x
Out-of-state: 5.5x / 3.2x

Career Paths

Film & Photography graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Producers and directors $83,480 12,800 +4.9% 42%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800 2,700 +2.1% 43%
Film and video editors $70,980 3,600 +4.0% 53%
Camera operators, television, video, and film $68,810 2,900 +1.2% 42%
Photographers $42,520 12,700 +1.8% 39%

Explore Each Program

More Film & Photography Comparisons

Film & Photography Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Film & Photography: CUNY City College or Eastern Washington University?
CUNY City College scores 46/100 while Eastern Washington University scores 43/100. CUNY City College has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Film & Photography?
CUNY City College has an in-state earnings multiple of 11.4x vs Eastern Washington University's 9.8x. That means CUNY City College grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do CUNY City College and Eastern Washington University compare on Film & Photography earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $26,918 at CUNY City College vs $25,090 at Eastern Washington University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $335,230 vs $327,044 — a difference of $8,186.
How much does Film & Photography cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,360 at CUNY City College and $33,412 at Eastern Washington University. Both programs lead to the same Film & Photography career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.