36 colleges · California
Film and photography colleges in California
36 colleges in California offer a bachelor's degree in film and photography (13 public). Graduates of the typical program here earned $33,808 a year after graduating, compared with $31,407 nationally.
All film and photography programs in California
Sorted by earnings four years after graduation. Click a heading to sort.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA | 101 | $35,898 | $70,963 | $12,979 |
| Chapman UniversityOrange, CA | 197 | $40,622 | $66,494 | $19,500 |
| Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA | 131 | $40,146 | $61,500 | $20,000 |
| University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA | 167 | $34,718 | $58,623 | $17,000 |
| University of California-DavisDavis, CA | 81 | $31,184 | $57,999 | $12,800 |
| University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA | 196 | $29,349 | $52,699 | $15,500 |
| University of California-IrvineIrvine, CA | 142 | $30,830 | $51,423 | $12,853 |
| University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | 30 | $26,650 | $50,904 | $17,484 |
| Woodbury UniversityBurbank, CA | 2 | $37,153 | $50,387 | n/a |
| Art Center College of DesignPasadena, CA | 49 | n/a | $49,933 | $27,541 |
| University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA | 212 | $35,065 | $49,893 | $11,125 |
| San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA | 185 | $32,668 | $47,149 | $15,305 |
| Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos Angeles, CA | 19 | $41,871 | $47,091 | $27,000 |
| Academy of Art UniversitySan Francisco, CA | 44 | $39,840 | $46,726 | $32,000 |
| California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtArcata, CA | 16 | $17,326 | $46,245 | $20,969 |
| University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA | 175 | $26,183 | $45,815 | $15,000 |
| California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA | 101 | $37,636 | $42,392 | $14,478 |
| Los Angeles Film SchoolHollywood, CA | 229 | $30,469 | $35,151 | $44,684 |
| California Institute of the ArtsValencia, CA | 29 | $22,656 | $29,426 | $24,750 |
| New York Film AcademyBurbank, CA | 112 | $22,445 | $28,275 | $30,750 |
| Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA | 27 | $39,921 | n/a | $24,903 |
| Biola UniversityLa Mirada, CA | 61 | $38,619 | n/a | $20,500 |
| California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA | 26 | $34,130 | n/a | $23,500 |
| California State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, CA | 46 | $33,485 | n/a | $12,750 |
| California College of the ArtsSan Francisco, CA | 15 | $26,006 | n/a | n/a |
| Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CA | 20 | n/a | n/a | $18,500 |
| California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA | 230 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CA | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pacific Union CollegeAngwin, CA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Stanford UniversityStanford, CA | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of La VerneLa Verne, CA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in California offer film and photography?
36 colleges in California awarded bachelor's degrees in film and photography in 2022-23 or 2023-24, 13 of them public.
Where do film and photography graduates earn the most in California?
University of California-Berkeley, with median earnings of $70,963 four years after graduation (programs with at least 5 graduates).
Film and photography nationwide · All colleges in California
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.