Film & Photography at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Film/Video and Photographic Arts
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
24
Optimistic
24
Base Case
19
Pessimistic
Earnings
$25,344/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk
High (44% exposed)
Job Market
Large (43,700 openings/yr)
ROI
13.9x earnings multiple (4.5x out-of-state)
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 | $447K | $451K | $428K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 13.7x | 13.9x | 13.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.4x | 4.5x | 4.2x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 41% | 37% | 28% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 24 | 24 | 19 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$32,588
Out-of-state: $101,084 (4.5x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,250
7.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$35,433
40% growth from Year 1
About New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus accepts 76% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 11,561 in Las Cruces, NM. Pell Grant recipients make up 40% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at New Mexico State University-Main Campus →Top Career Paths
Producers and directors
$83,480/yr
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
$80,190/yr
Communications teachers, postsecondary
$77,800/yr
Compare & Explore
Film & Photography at Other Schools
Other Majors at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?
For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does New Mexico State University-Main Campus's Film & Photography program score?
This program scores 24/100 — 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →