Northern Arizona University Film and Photography: earnings, debt & careers

Film and Photography graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $48,800 four years after graduating ($23,418 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $19,000. That is $3,138 above the U.S. median for Film and Photography graduates ($45,662 across 134 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 3 Arizona colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$48,800

U.S. median for this major: $45,662.

College Scorecard field of study; 23 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$23,418

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$19,000

About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,650.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,158 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $29,933. College Scorecard.

NAU Film and Photography: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

NAU graduates$48,800
Arizona median (4 colleges)$49,280 (−$480)
U.S. median (134 colleges)$45,662 (+$3,138)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Film and Photography nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses NAU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$9,709$41,0693.4 years
$30–48k$10,398$43,9843.6 years
$48–75k$13,330$56,3864.6 years
$75–110k$18,050$76,3526.3 years
$110k+$20,686$87,5027.2 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (45% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Film and Photography graduates 4 years after graduating ($48,800) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,139 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Film and Photography at Arizona colleges

Every Arizona college we cover that reports Film and Photography graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Arizona State University Campus Immersion$49,759$20,534$14,96768%
2Northern Arizona University$48,800$19,000$14,15861%
3University of Arizona$44,145$21,500$16,67468%

Careers for Film and Photography graduates

Producers and Directors

Arizona$67,320
U.S.$90,360

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Film and Video Editors

Arizona$45,840
U.S.$75,420

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at NAU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About NAU

Related majors at NAU

NAU Film and Photography questions

How much do NAU Film and Photography graduates earn?

Film and Photography graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $48,800 four years after graduating and $23,418 one year after. The U.S. median for Film and Photography graduates across 134 colleges is $45,662.

How much debt do NAU Film and Photography graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Film and Photography graduates of Northern Arizona University is $19,000, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,650.

Is NAU a good school for Film and Photography in Arizona?

On pay, Film and Photography graduates of Northern Arizona University earn $48,800 four years out, $480 below the median for the same major across 4 Arizona colleges ($49,280) and $3,138 above the U.S. median ($45,662). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does NAU rank for Film and Photography in Arizona?

Of 3 Arizona colleges reporting Film and Photography graduate earnings, Northern Arizona University ranks 2nd. The highest is Arizona State University Campus Immersion at $49,759.

What jobs do Film and Photography graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $67,320 in Arizona and $90,360 nationally. Others include film and video editors.

Is NAU the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing NAU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Northern Arizona University Film and Photography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-arizona-university/majors/film-and-photography (College Scorecard and BLS data).