Film/Video and Photographic Arts at The University of Tampa

Tampa's Film/Video program sits in the middle of Florida's creative media landscape—earning more than most state alternatives but falling well short of the top tier. At $26,641 first-year, graduates out-earn 60% of Florida film programs and beat the national median by about $1,500. They're also roughly $5,000 behind University of Miami and Florida State graduates, though that gap may reflect Miami's entertainment industry connections rather than program quality alone.

The financial equation is actually more favorable than it first appears. With $20,500 in debt—matching the state median but $4,500 below the national average—graduates face a manageable 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means the typical borrower could theoretically pay off their loans with nine months of gross income, though film industry work is notoriously freelance-heavy with irregular paychecks in early careers.

The real question is whether your child understands what $26,641 means practically: shared apartments, side gigs, and years of building a portfolio before stable income arrives. For students passionate about this path and willing to hustle through the lean years, Tampa provides decent training without burying them in debt. But if they're uncertain about their commitment to the industry, that starting salary will feel very different than if they'd chosen accounting or nursing.