Film/Video and Photographic Arts: CUNY City College vs CUNY Hunter College

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
CUNY City College
New York, NY
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
In-State
17.6x
$29,360 tuition
17.8x
$29,528 tuition
Out-of-State
8.5x
$61,160 tuition
8.6x
$61,328 tuition
$517,211 10-yr earnings · Public
$525,938 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

CUNY City College CUNY Hunter College
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.6x 17.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 8.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,360 $29,528
Year 1 Earnings $26,918 $24,869
10-Year Earnings $517K $526K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 38/100 37/100
Acceptance Rate 58.1% 54.0%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates.

CUNY City College CUNY Hunter College
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,360 $29,528
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $61,160 $61,328
10-Year Projected Earnings $517K $526K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.6x 17.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 8.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +78% +93%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Film/Video and Photographic Arts (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

CUNY City College CUNY Hunter College
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $520K $517K $480K $530K $526K $486K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.7x 17.6x 16.3x 17.9x 17.8x 16.5x
DegreeWorth Score 39 38 33 38 37 33

For the full AI analysis of Film/Video and Photographic Arts career paths, see the CUNY City College or CUNY Hunter College program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$168
CUNY City College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$2,049/yr
CUNY City College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.6x / 17.8x
Out-of-state: 8.5x / 8.6x

Career Paths

Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Producers and directors $83,480 12,800 +4.9% 42%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800 2,700 +2.1% 43%
Film and video editors $70,980 3,600 +4.0% 53%
Camera operators, television, video, and film $68,810 2,900 +1.2% 42%
Photographers $42,520 12,700 +1.8% 39%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Film/Video and Photographic Arts Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Film/Video and Photographic Arts: CUNY City College or CUNY Hunter College?
CUNY City College scores 38/100 while CUNY Hunter College scores 37/100. CUNY City College has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Film/Video and Photographic Arts?
CUNY City College has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.6x vs CUNY Hunter College's 17.8x. That means CUNY Hunter College grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do CUNY City College and CUNY Hunter College compare on Film/Video and Photographic Arts earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $26,918 at CUNY City College vs $24,869 at CUNY Hunter College. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $517,211 vs $525,938 — a difference of $8,727.
How much does Film/Video and Photographic Arts cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,360 at CUNY City College and $29,528 at CUNY Hunter College. Both programs lead to the same Film/Video and Photographic Arts career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.