Portland State University Film and Photography: earnings, debt & careers

Film and Photography graduates of Portland State University earn a median $41,639 four years after graduating ($27,028 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $25,000. That is $4,023 below the U.S. median for Film and Photography graduates ($45,662 across 134 colleges), and ranks 3rd of 3 Oregon colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$41,639

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

College Scorecard field of study; 82 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$27,028

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$25,000

About 60% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,650.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$9,552 /yr

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

Sticker price $21,590. College Scorecard.

Portland State University Film and Photography: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Portland State University graduates$41,639
Oregon median (3 colleges)$50,003 (−$8,364)
U.S. median (134 colleges)$45,662 (−$4,023)

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 Portland State University'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$7,655$33,8356.6 years
$30–48k$7,752$34,2646.7 years
$48–75k$8,981$39,6967.8 years
$75–110k$12,993$57,42911.3 years
$110k+$19,112$84,47516.6 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($41,639) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,090 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 Oregon colleges

Every Oregon 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
1University of Oregon$50,499$24,500$22,18272%
2George Fox University$50,003$23,625$31,67972%
3Portland State University$41,639$25,000$9,55253%

5 more Oregon colleges offer Film and Photography but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Film and Photography graduates

Producers and Directors

Portland area$88,450
Oregon$87,460
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

Portland area$71,990
Oregon$72,300
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 Portland State University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Portland State University

Related majors at Portland State University

Portland State University Film and Photography questions

How much do Portland State University Film and Photography graduates earn?

Film and Photography graduates of Portland State University earn a median $41,639 four years after graduating and $27,028 one year after. The U.S. median for Film and Photography graduates across 134 colleges is $45,662.

How much debt do Portland State University Film and Photography graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Film and Photography graduates of Portland State University is $25,000, about 60% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,650.

Is Portland State University a good school for Film and Photography in Oregon?

On pay, Film and Photography graduates of Portland State University earn $41,639 four years out, $8,364 below the median for the same major across 3 Oregon colleges ($50,003) and $4,023 below the U.S. median ($45,662). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Portland State University rank for Film and Photography in Oregon?

Of 3 Oregon colleges reporting Film and Photography graduate earnings, Portland State University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Oregon at $50,499.

What jobs do Film and Photography graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $88,450 in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area and $90,360 nationally. Others include film and video editors.

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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
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Cite this: “Portland State University Film and Photography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/film-and-photography (College Scorecard and BLS data).