Film & Photography at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Film/Video and Photographic Arts
35 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
35
Optimistic
35
Base Case
31
Pessimistic
Earnings $24,618/yr (-5% vs median)
AI Risk High (44% exposed)
Job Market Large (43,700 openings/yr)
ROI 18.5x earnings multiple (7.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #6 of 140 Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs Top 5%

Program Analysis

Your strong performance score highlights CSU Sacramento's respected program, particularly within the regional media landscape. While the data shows earnings slightly below the national average, this often reflects the initial freelance-heavy, project-based nature of film and video work, especially outside major production hubs like Los Angeles. Sacramento offers a robust, but smaller, market for local news, corporate video, marketing agencies, and independent projects. Your early career will likely involve building a portfolio and client base here or leveraging the program’s reputation to transition to larger markets. Given the high AI risk in many technical roles, focus intensely on developing unique creative vision, complex storytelling, and high-level directorial or client management skills that are harder to automate. Networking consistently will be your most valuable asset.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Film & Photography graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $570K $562K $514K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.7x 18.5x 16.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 7.2x 6.6x
Probability of Field Employment 41% 37% 28%
DegreeOutlook Score 35 35 31

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,408
Out-of-state: $77,928 (7.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$42,048
-38% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,568
7.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$53,310
117% growth from Year 1

About California State University-Sacramento

California State University-Sacramento accepts 94% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 27,867 students in Sacramento, CA. 49% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Sacramento →

Top Career Paths

Producers and directors $83,480/yr
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr
Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Film & Photography at Other Schools

Compare Film & Photography

Other Majors at California State University-Sacramento

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Sacramento's Film & Photography program score?
This program scores 35/100 — on the lower end for Film & Photography. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Film & Photography to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Film & Photography careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Sacramento rank so high for Film & Photography?
The #6 ranking out of 140 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →