Film/Video and Photographic Arts at CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College's Film/Video program demonstrates why debt levels matter as much as starting salaries. Yes, graduates earn just $20,476 in their first year—well below both the national and New York state medians for film programs. But they leave with only $13,622 in debt, roughly half what film graduates typically carry nationally ($25,000) and in New York ($25,798). That low debt load transforms what looks like a struggling start into a manageable financial picture with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67.

The earnings trajectory tells the real story here. By year four, median earnings more than double to $42,028, placing Brooklyn College squarely in the middle of New York film programs despite its low cost. You're not getting Fordham-level outcomes ($36,704), but you're also not taking on Fordham-level debt or tuition. For a CUNY school serving primarily middle-income students (56% receive Pell grants), this represents a practical path into a notoriously difficult industry.

The value proposition is straightforward: accept lean early years in exchange for minimal debt while building your career. If your child can weather that first year—perhaps with family support or a second job—they emerge without the debt burden that hamstrings many creative professionals. For families who can't afford private school tuition, this is how you get a film degree without mortgaging the future.