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Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $28,474/yr (10% vs median)

AI Risk High (44% exposed)

Job Market Large (43,700 openings/yr)

ROI 8.8x earnings multiple (5.4x out-of-state)

Ranked #28 of 140 Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$525K	$522K	$483K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	8.9x	8.8x	8.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.4x	5.4x	5.0x
Probability of Field Employment	41%	37%	28%
DegreeOutlook Score	28	27	22

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$59,064

Out-of-state: $96,504 (5.4x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$56,636

4% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$27,000

11.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$49,366

73% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $28,474 at Montclair State University come in 10% above the national median of $25,920 for Film/Video and Photographic Arts programs.

At 8.8x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $27,000 debt-to-$28,474 income ratio translates to about 11 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #28 out of 140 programs, Montclair State University's Film/Video and Photographic Arts program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $28,474 to $49,366 over five years (73% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Montclair State University

Montclair State University accepts 87% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 17,677 students in Montclair, NJ. With 44% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at Montclair State University →

Top Career Paths

Producers and directors $83,480/yr

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr

Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Other Schools

Other Majors at Montclair State University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Montclair State University's Film/Video and Photographic Arts program score?

This program scores 27/100 — on the lower end for Film/Video and Photographic Arts. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Film/Video and Photographic Arts to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Film/Video and Photographic Arts careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Montclair State University rank so high for Film/Video and Photographic Arts?

The #28 ranking out of 140 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →