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Visual & Performing Arts · Film & Photography Rank #53 of 140

Film & Photographyat University of California-Berkeley

Graduates earn $29,011/yr in their first year — about 12.0% above the national Film & Photography average. Base-case 10-year earnings $460K; scenarios range from $435K to $456K depending on AI disruption.

Berkeley, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
23 AT RISK
23
Optimistic
17
Pessimistic
Earnings
$29,011
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$460K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
47% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at UC Berkeley

Your UC Berkeley degree places you in an elite network, providing a significant advantage in the competitive film and photographic arts landscape. While initial earnings often reflect the independent, project-based nature of creative fields, your Berkeley affiliation can open doors to more substantial roles in the Bay Area's tech and media companies, or within established production houses in Los Angeles. Many graduates leverage their analytical skills into content strategy, creative direction, or project management positions, rather than purely artistic roles, leading to the observed earnings uplift compared to the national average.

However, the industry faces substantial disruption from AI. Tools for editing, visual effects, and even script generation mean you’ll need to master these technologies, not just traditional techniques. Your unique artistic vision and ability to manage complex productions will become paramount. Focus on building a robust portfolio and a strong professional network from day one; these are your most powerful assets for navigating a dynamic market.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$435K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score17/100
Earnings Multiple7.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$460K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple7.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$456K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple7.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Berkeley's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Film & Photography graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Producers and directors
+4.9% 10-yr growth · 12,800 openings/yr
$83,480/yr
Moderate
2
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 9,000 openings/yr
$80,190/yr
Moderate
3
Communications teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$77,800/yr
Moderate
4
Film and video editors
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 3,600 openings/yr
$70,980/yr
High
5
Camera operators, television, video, and film
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 2,900 openings/yr
$68,810/yr
Moderate
6
Photographers
+1.8% 10-yr growth · 12,700 openings/yr
$42,520/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Film & Photography

How UC Berkeley stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Tufts University
MA · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
1.1x
ROI
Top score
Kennesaw State University
GA · Public
50
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
21.4x
ROI
Utah Valley University
UT · Public
44
DW Score
$42K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
NJ · Public
33
DW Score
$39K
1-yr earn
4.6x
ROI
Rutgers University-Newark
NJ · Public
34
DW Score
$39K
1-yr earn
4.8x
ROI
Also at UC Berkeley

Other top programs at UC Berkeley

Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Berkeley, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Film & Photography offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Film & Photography trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Film & Photography at UC Berkeley

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Film & Photography at University of California-Berkeley?

A score of 23/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Film & Photography. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Film & Photography careers?

With 44% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $434,945 in decade earnings vs $455,971 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.