Bachelor's · Dallas, Texas
Is Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Southern Methodist 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
Graduates typically don't earn back the cost within 20 years, compared with the no-degree baseline.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $32,437
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- Not enough graduates to report
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $21,500
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $169k (likely $169k – $169k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- −$3k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in TX
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- Not within 20 years in most scenarios
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$392k (likely −$459k – −$312k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$422k (likely −$549k – −$261k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 83%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Change income, residency or loans Compare Film/Video and Photographic Arts at other schools
🎨 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward art, design & performance majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP 2-D Art and Design
- AP Drawing
- AP Art History
- AP Music Theory
IB Higher Level
- Visual Arts HL
- Music HL or Theatre HL or Film HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at Southern Methodist University
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$188,716
- Information Science/Studies (Master's)$173,816
- Computer Systems Analysis (Master's)$172,353
- Systems Engineering (Master's)$163,769
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's)$155,769
- Law (First professional)$153,614
- Real Estate (Master's)$147,770
- Applied Mathematics (Master's)$144,761
- Manufacturing Engineering (Master's)$141,296
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$140,799
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)$133,852
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Master's)$133,137
Film/Video and Photographic Arts at other schools in Texas
- Texas State University$39,473
- Baylor University$39,080