Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Maryland Institute College of Art

The numbers here tell a tough story, but the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—means they may not reflect what a typical MICA film student experiences. That $17,500 first-year figure is unusually low even for arts programs, landing in just the 5th percentile nationally. While earnings nearly double by year four, reaching $34,278, that's still $8,500 below what the top Maryland program reports in early career alone.

Among Maryland's four film programs, this ranks at the 25th percentile—meaning three out of four alternatives show better early earnings. The $27,000 debt load matches the state median but creates a 1.54 debt-to-earnings ratio that would take careful financial planning to manage. For context, Stevenson University's film graduates start $8,000 higher, making debt repayment considerably more manageable from day one.

The wildcard here is that dramatic earnings growth: a 96% increase over three years suggests many graduates find their footing after an initial struggle period. However, when a program shows both weak early earnings and limited data, parents should have candid conversations about backup plans and whether their student has the financial cushion to weather those challenging early years. If film is the passion, exploring Maryland's other options—or waiting to see if more robust data emerges—might be prudent.