To date, we’ve asked 78 current and past film and photographic arts students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.

Different majors will offer different opportunities.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a film and photographic arts degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a film and photographic arts degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are film and photographic arts students compared to other degrees?

Overall, film and photographic arts students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.0 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, film and photographic arts students rate their happiness similarly to students in Law, Journalism and Related Studies and Electrical Engineering and Related Studies.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to film and photographic arts

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Criminal Justice$56,585
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$57,785
Business/Managerial Economics$91,224
Journalism and Related Studies$68,663
Film and Photographic Arts$59,771
Law$67,545
Electrical Engineering and Related Studies$103,081
Electrical Engineering$101,767
Registered Nursing$63,683
Hospitality Management and Related Studies$57,289

Let's break that down further.

Are film and photographic arts students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
3.9 out of 5 stars
96 ratings
5 stars
35%
4 stars
31%
3 stars
21%
2 stars
8%
1 stars
4%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.2 out of 5 stars
96 ratings
5 stars
23%
4 stars
20%
3 stars
27%
2 stars
13%
1 stars
17%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in film and photographic arts experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did film and photographic arts graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what film and photographic arts grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
2.5 out of 5 stars
93 ratings
5 stars
4%
4 stars
15%
3 stars
30%
2 stars
27%
1 stars
23%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were film and photographic arts students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.0 out of 5 stars
78 ratings
5 stars
19%
4 stars
18%
3 stars
24%
2 stars
15%
1 stars
22%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Salary

Find out what graduates typically earn.

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