by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Film & Video Production covers Cinematography And Film/video Production. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Communicate Dramatic Information, Ideas, Moods, And Feelings Through The Making And Producing Of Films And Videos. Includes Instruction In Theory Of Film, Film Technology And Equipment Operation, Film Production, Film Directing, Film Editing, Cinematographic Art, Film Audio, Techniques For Making Specific Types Of Films And/or Videos, Media Technologies, Computer Image Making, Multi-Media Production, And The Planning And Management Of Film/video Operations. Examples: [Cinema Production]. Read on to learn the important information every film & video production student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering film & video production programs.
Across the country, film & video production is a popular field of study, with 9,544 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Film & Video Production Schools ranking analyzes these 285 schools to determine the best overall colleges for film & video production students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of film & video production programs later in this article.
Studies in Film & Video Production build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations film & video production graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a film & video production program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a film & video production major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several film & video production degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 663 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 979 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6,045 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,816 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 5 |
People currently working in careers related to film & video production tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.3% |
| Master’s degree | 23.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.4% |
| Some college courses | 3.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.6% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in film & video production careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in film & video production opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to film & video production.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to film & video production.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Producers and Directors | 355,369 | -3.9% |
| Film and Video Editors | 354,104 | 10.0% |
| Talent Directors | 163,716 | -3.3% |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | 136,436 | -2.6% |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | 107,517 | 10.9% |
| Media Programming Directors | 98,123 | 11.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of film & video production graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $25,545 |
| 4 years | $35,590 |
| 5 years | $41,647 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for film & video production graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers film & video production grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $92,043 |
| Media Programming Directors | $90,799 |
| Producers and Directors | $90,515 |
| Film and Video Editors | $89,576 |
| Talent Directors | $73,937 |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | $65,049 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
With 285 different film & video production programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased film & video production school rankings to help you.
Students interested in film & video production, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Film/Cinema/Media Studies | 5,777 |
| Photography | 2,066 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other | 1,452 |
| Documentary Production | 88 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
