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Film/Video and Photographic Arts at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
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%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Film/Video and Photographic Arts 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

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $24,618/yr, roughly in line with the $25,920 national median for Film/Video and Photographic Arts. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 18.5x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $15,568 debt-to-$24,618 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #6 out of 140 programs, California State University-Sacramento's Film/Video and Photographic Arts program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $24,618 to $53,310 over five years (117% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

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

Compare this program → View all 140 schools offering Film/Video and Photographic Arts →

Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Other Schools

Tufts University ($56,418) Kennesaw State University ($51,772) Utah Valley University ($41,833) Rutgers University-New Brunswick ($38,508) Rutgers University-Newark ($38,508) Fordham University ($36,704) Chapman University ($35,795) University of Miami ($35,485)

Compare Film/Video and Photographic Arts

California State University-Sacramento vs Tufts University → California State University-Sacramento vs Kennesaw State University → California State University-Sacramento vs Utah Valley University → California State University-Sacramento vs Rutgers University-New Brunswick → California State University-Sacramento vs Rutgers University-Newark →

Other Majors at California State University-Sacramento

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($116,001) Construction Engineering ($90,836) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($74,450) Civil Engineering ($71,342) Mechanical Engineering ($66,462) Computer Engineering ($66,266) Computer Science ($60,028) Interior Architecture ($50,108)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Film/Video and Photographic Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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/Video and Photographic Arts program score?
This program scores 35/100 — on the lower end for Film/Video and Photographic Arts. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Film/Video and Photographic Arts to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Film/Video and Photographic Arts 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/Video and Photographic Arts?
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 →