Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University's film program graduates earn notably less than peers at other Arizona schools—landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. Four years out, the $38,243 median sits well below what graduates from ASU ($31,148) or even Grand Canyon University ($29,094) earn in their first year. Within Arizona's small film program landscape, NAU appears to be the budget option in more ways than one.

The positive spin? At $19,000, debt loads run lower than both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio that most film graduates would envy. The 63% earnings jump from year one to year four also shows encouraging growth, though it's worth noting this still leaves graduates trailing their in-state peers. However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—means one or two outliers could significantly skew these numbers in either direction.

For an anxious parent, the calculation is straightforward: you're looking at below-average Arizona outcomes with below-average debt. If your child is committed to film and NAU offers other compelling reasons to attend (location, specific faculty, lower tuition), the manageable debt makes this viable. But if earning potential matters and ASU or U of A are options, those programs deliver measurably stronger early-career results for Arizona film graduates.