Bachelor's · San Francisco, California
Is Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Academy of Art University worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 14.6 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $32,617
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $58,096
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- Not enough borrowers to report
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $208k (likely $177k – $253k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $18k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 14.6 years (likely 10.1–20+)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$293k (likely −$416k – −$168k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$58k (likely −$258k – $169k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 33%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Change income, residency or loans Compare Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at other schools
🎬 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP Seminar
IB Higher Level
- Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
- Film HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at Academy of Art University
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's)$87,998
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's)$73,398
- Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Master's)$71,613
- Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)$66,783
- Graphic Communications (Master's)$64,026
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Master's)$62,856
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Associate's)$60,731
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Bachelor's)$60,284
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's)$58,879
- Design and Applied Arts (Master's)$57,636
- Visual and Performing Arts, General (Master's)$51,874
- Graphic Communications (Bachelor's)$50,833
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at other schools in California
- Biola University$60,082
- San Francisco State University$58,550
- Pepperdine University$55,432
- University of La Verne$55,332
- California State University-Northridge$49,359
- California State University-Fullerton$48,094
- California State University-Long Beach$47,444
- San Diego State University$43,485
- California State University-Monterey Bay$39,954
- California State University-Los Angeles$39,867