Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $22,011/yr fall 15% below the $25,920 national median for Film/Video and Photographic Arts. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
At 7.1x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 2% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $27,000 debt load exceeds a year of the $22,011 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
At #112 out of 140 programs, Oakland University's financial outcomes for Film/Video and Photographic Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $22,011 to $27,634 shows 26% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.