U.S. median for this major: $45,662.
College Scorecard field of study; 179 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 51% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,650.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $74,626. College Scorecard.
RIT Film and Photography: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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 RIT's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $24,680 | $116,243 | 6.3 years |
| $30–48k | $24,820 | $116,902 | 6.4 years |
| $48–75k | $28,874 | $135,997 | 7.4 years |
| $75–110k | $34,510 | $162,542 | 8.9 years |
| $110k+ | $44,970 | $211,809 | 11.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.7 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($52,970) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,337 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 New York colleges
Every New York college we cover that reports Film and Photography graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | $58,720 | $22,250 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 2 | Marymount Manhattan College | $55,285 | $27,000 | $36,861 | 49% |
| 3 | Fordham University | $54,738 | $25,000 | $44,338 | 82% |
| 4 | Syracuse University | $54,115 | $27,000 | $38,793 | 84% |
| 5 | Rochester Institute of Technology | $52,970 | $27,000 | $34,906 | 70% |
| 6 | Pace University | $52,368 | $25,238 | $30,892 | 60% |
| 7 | College of Staten Island CUNY | $51,363 | — | $5,579 | 34% |
| 8 | The New School | $48,557 | $25,829 | $58,741 | 69% |
| 9 | Pratt Institute-Main | $46,874 | $27,000 | $52,659 | 74% |
| 10 | CUNY City College | $46,801 | — | $3,776 | 57% |
| 11 | Binghamton University | $46,579 | — | $21,620 | 82% |
| 12 | CUNY Hunter College | $46,545 | $7,134 | $2,984 | 57% |
| 13 | Ithaca College | $44,829 | $25,000 | $33,926 | 76% |
| 14 | CUNY Brooklyn College | $44,032 | $13,622 | $3,103 | 54% |
| 15 | University at Buffalo | $43,285 | $24,509 | $20,995 | 75% |
| 16 | SUNY at Purchase College | $43,265 | $26,949 | $18,913 | 63% |
| 17 | Vassar College | $42,956 | $17,993 | $39,343 | 91% |
| 18 | State University of New York at Oswego | $38,429 | $25,798 | $16,236 | 60% |
19 more New York colleges offer Film and Photography but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Film and Photography graduates
Producers and Directors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Film and Video Editors
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 RIT, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About RIT
- Acceptance rate: 67% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $76,571
- Full cost breakdown · all 74 majors · overview
Related majors at RIT
- Studio Art—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$52,043
- Journalism—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$91,222
- Audiovisual Communications Technologies / Technicians—
RIT Film and Photography questions
How much do RIT Film and Photography graduates earn?
Film and Photography graduates of Rochester Institute of Technology earn a median $52,970 four years after graduating and $28,858 one year after. The U.S. median for Film and Photography graduates across 134 colleges is $45,662.
How much debt do RIT Film and Photography graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Film and Photography graduates of Rochester Institute of Technology is $27,000, about 51% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,650.
Is RIT a good school for Film and Photography in New York?
On pay, Film and Photography graduates of Rochester Institute of Technology earn $52,970 four years out, $6,132 above the median for the same major across 18 New York colleges ($46,838) and $7,308 above the U.S. median ($45,662). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does RIT rank for Film and Photography in New York?
Of 18 New York colleges reporting Film and Photography graduate earnings, Rochester Institute of Technology ranks 5th. The highest is New York University at $58,720.
What jobs do Film and Photography graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $83,030 in the Rochester, NY 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Rochester Institute of Technology Film and Photography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rochester-institute-of-technology/majors/film-and-photography (College Scorecard and BLS data).