Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
37
Optimistic
34
Base Case
29
Pessimistic
Earnings
$21,322/yr (-18% vs median)
AI Risk
High (44% exposed)
Job Market
Large (43,700 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $394K | $252K | $164K |
| Earnings Multiple | 7.4x | 4.8x | 3.1x |
| Viable Career Paths | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 37 | 34 | 29 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition
$52,976
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,525
10.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$34,839
63% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 43,700 combined openings per year.
| 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% |
Compare & Explore
Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Other Schools
Other Majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
This program scores 34/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 37 (optimistic) to 29 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Film/Video and Photographic Arts career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates retain 6 of 6 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $164,179 (pessimistic) to $393,894 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates?
The career paths mapped to Film/Video and Photographic Arts have roughly 43,700 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 4.8x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 3.1x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
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.