Photographic and Video Technology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Photographic and Video Technology is a hands-on, technical program designed to equip students with the expertise needed to support professional image and video production across film, television, advertising, and digital media. This curriculum emphasizes precision, technical proficiency, and collaborative workflow within dynamic production environments, preparing learners for critical roles behind the camera.
- Equipment Setup and Maintenance: Learn the proper assembly, calibration, and routine servicing of cameras, lenses, tripods, and ancillary gear to ensure optimal performance on set.
- Lighting Design and Application: Master the principles of natural and artificial lighting, including color temperature, intensity control, and directional techniques to enhance visual storytelling.
- Power Supply Management: Understand electrical systems, cable management, generator operation, and safety protocols for reliable power delivery in studio and field settings.
- Studio and Film Set Operations: Gain practical experience in roles such as camera operator, grip, and best boy, focusing on coordination, safety, and efficient execution during shoots.
- Plate and Negative Handling: Develop meticulous techniques for the safe handling, storage, and processing of film stock, including exposure control and archival standards.
- Laboratory Procedures: Study chemical and physical processes involved in film development, printing, and quality control within traditional photographic labs.
- Digital Software Applications: Become proficient in industry-standard tools for image editing, video post-production, color grading, and file management across digital workflows.
Photographic and Video Technology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Photographic and Video Technology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Photographic and Video Technology degrees, including Lighting Technicians and Audio and Video Technicians. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 80,210 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lighting Technicians 27-4015 | $60,560 | $36,340 - $117,690 | 10,130 | $29.11 |
| Audio and Video Technicians 27-4011 | $54,830 | $35,290 - $98,190 | 70,080 | $26.36 |
Photographic and Video Technology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $33,210 in Mississippi to $91,415 in Washington—a 175% difference. The highest-paying states include Washington, New Jersey, and Hawaii. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 80,210 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Photographic and Video Technology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Photographic and Video Technology programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Photographic and Video Technology is found at Santa Monica College (SMC) (129 graduates), City College of San Francisco (CCSF) (87 graduates), Riverside City College (RCC) (66 graduates), South Plains College (41 graduates), and Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) (39 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,286 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
129 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| City College of San Francisco (CCSF) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
87 | San Francisco, California | Public | ccsf.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
66 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| South Plains College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
41 | Levelland, Texas | Public | southplainscollege.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
39 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| Washtenaw Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
38 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | wccnet.edu |
| Antelope Valley Community College District (AVCCD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
29 | Lancaster, California | Public | avc.edu |
| Pellissippi State Community College (PSTCC) |
Other Award
|
27 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | pstcc.edu |
| Fresno City College (FCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
25 | Fresno, California | Public | fresnocitycollege.edu |
| Olympic College (OC) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Residency
Other Award
|
25 | Bremerton, Washington | Public | olympic.edu |
| Colorado Mesa University (CMU) |
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
24 | Grand Junction, Colorado | Public | coloradomesa.edu |
| Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
24 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | slcc.edu |
| MediaTech Institute |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
23 | Dallas, Texas | Private | mediatech.edu |
| Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center (EOC Tech) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
21 | Choctaw, Oklahoma | Public | eoctech.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
19 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
19 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| St. John's University (SJU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Queens, New York | Private | stjohns.edu |
| Columbia State Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
19 | Columbia, Tennessee | Public | columbiastate.edu |
| Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) |
Other Award
|
18 | Griffin, Georgia | Public | sctech.edu |
| Gwinnett Technical College (Gwinnett Tech) |
Other Award
|
18 | Lawrenceville, Georgia | Public | gwinnetttech.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| Chattahoochee Technical College |
Other Award
|
17 | Marietta, Georgia | Public | chattahoocheetech.edu |
| Hennepin Technical College (HTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
17 | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota | Public | hennepintech.edu |
| Carteret Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
17 | Morehead City, North Carolina | Public | carteret.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
16 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| Glendale Community College (GCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
15 | Glendale, California | Public | glendale.edu |
| Sierra College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
15 | Rocklin, California | Public | sierracollege.edu |
| Chaffey College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
14 | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Public | chaffey.edu |
| Randolph Community College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
14 | Asheboro, North Carolina | Public | randolph.edu |
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
13 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| Hinds Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
13 | Raymond, Mississippi | Public | hindscc.edu |
| Austin Community College District (ACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
13 | Austin, Texas | Public | austincc.edu |
| Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) |
Other Award
|
12 | Santa Rosa, California | Public | santarosa.edu |
| MediaTech Institute |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
12 | Houston, Texas | Private | mediatech.edu |
| Northland Pioneer College (NPC) |
Other Award
|
11 | Holbrook, Arizona | Public | npc.edu |
| Barstow Community College (BCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
11 | Barstow, California | Public | barstow.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
11 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| Palomar College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
11 | San Marcos, California | Public | www2.palomar.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District (MSJC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | San Jacinto, California | Public | msjc.edu |
| Sacramento City College (SCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | Sacramento, California | Public | scc.losrios.edu |
| Lansing Community College (LCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | Lansing, Michigan | Public | lcc.edu |
| Central Technology Center |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
10 | Drumright, Oklahoma | Public | centraltech.edu |
| Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) |
Other Award
|
10 | Thomasville, Georgia | Public | southernregional.edu |
| Allan Hancock College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
9 | Santa Maria, California | Public | hancockcollege.edu |
| De Anza College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
9 | Cupertino, California | Public | deanza.edu |
| Southwestern College (SWC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
9 | Chula Vista, California | Public | swccd.edu |
| Pearl River Community College (PRCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
9 | Poplarville, Mississippi | Public | prcc.edu |
| Shoreline Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
9 | Shoreline, Washington | Public | shoreline.edu |
| Solano Community College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
8 | Fairfield, California | Public | welcome.solano.edu |
| Ventura College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
8 | Ventura, California | Public | venturacollege.edu |
| Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) |
Other Award
|
8 | Bossier City, Louisiana | Public | bpcc.edu |
| Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) |
Other Award
|
8 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wcccd.edu |
| University of Cincinnati |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
8 | Blue Ash, Ohio | Public | ucblueash.edu |
| Columbus State Community College (CSCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
8 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | cscc.edu |
| El Camino Community College District (ECC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
7 | Torrance, California | Public | elcamino.edu |
| Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
7 | Hickory, North Carolina | Public | cvcc.edu |
| McDowell Technical Community College (MTCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
7 | Marion, North Carolina | Public | mcdowelltech.edu |
| Butte College |
Associate's
|
6 | Oroville, California | Public | butte.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Other Award
|
6 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| Laney College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Oakland, California | Public | laney.edu |
| Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Valley Glen, California | Public | lavc.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| Modesto Junior College (MJC) |
Other Award
|
6 | Modesto, California | Public | mjc.edu |
| New Mexico State University |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
6 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | dacc.nmsu.edu |
| Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | ccp.edu |
| Amarillo College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Amarillo, Texas | Public | actx.edu |
| Francis Tuttle Technology Center |
Other Award
|
6 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Public | francistuttle.edu |
| Cypress College |
Other Award
|
5 | Cypress, California | Public | cypresscollege.edu |
| Foothill College |
Other Award
|
5 | Los Altos Hills, California | Public | foothill.edu |
| Yuba College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
5 | Marysville, California | Public | yc.yccd.edu |
| College of the Ozarks (C of O) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Point Lookout, Missouri | Private | cofo.edu |
| Mercer County Community College (MCCC) |
Associate's
|
5 | West Windsor, New Jersey | Public | mccc.edu |
| Great Plains Technology Center |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
5 | Lawton, Oklahoma | Public | greatplains.edu |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Other Award
|
4 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| San Diego City College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
4 | San Diego, California | Public | sdcity.edu |
| Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) |
Other Award
|
4 | Santa Fe, New Mexico | Public | sfcc.edu |
| Bakersfield College (BC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
3 | Bakersfield, California | Public | bakersfieldcollege.edu |
| Cosumnes River College (CRC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
3 | Sacramento, California | Public | crc.losrios.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
3 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Atlanta Technical College (Atlanta Tech) |
Other Award
|
3 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | atlantatech.edu |
| Roxbury Community College (RCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
3 | Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts | Public | rcc.mass.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
3 | Alamogordo, New Mexico | Public | alamogordo.nmsu.edu |
| Rockland Community College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
3 | Suffern, New York | Public | sunyrockland.edu |
| Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) |
Associate's
|
3 | Dryden, New York | Public | tompkinscortland.edu |
| Northwest University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Kirkland, Washington | Private | northwestu.edu |
| Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) |
Associate's
|
3 | Spokane, Washington | Public | sfcc.spokane.edu |
| Las Positas College (LPC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
3 | Livermore, California | Public | laspositascollege.edu |
| San Joaquin Delta College |
Other Award
|
2 | Stockton, California | Public | deltacollege.edu |
| College of DuPage (COD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
2 | Glen Ellyn, Illinois | Public | cod.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Other Award
|
2 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| High Plains Technology Center (HPTC) |
Other Award
|
2 | Woodward, Oklahoma | Public | hptc.edu |
| Husson University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Bangor, Maine | Private | husson.edu |
| Dine College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Tsaile, Arizona | Public | dinecollege.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
1 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| Cabrillo College |
Other Award
|
1 | Aptos, California | Public | cabrillo.edu |
| College of the Canyons |
Other Award
|
1 | Santa Clarita, California | Public | canyons.edu |
| Merced College |
Other Award
|
1 | Merced, California | Public | mccd.edu |
| Ohlone College |
Other Award
|
1 | Fremont, California | Public | ohlone.edu |
| Daytona State College (DSC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Public | daytonastate.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Photographic and Video Technology programs
How much can I earn with a Photographic and Video Technology degree?
Salaries for Photographic and Video Technology graduates vary by role and location. Lighting Technicians earn a median of $60,560 annually, while Audio and Video Technicians earn around $54,830. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Washington average $91,415 compared to $33,210 in Mississippi. Approximately 80,210 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Photographic and Video Technology programs?
Currently 101 accredited institutions offer Photographic and Video Technology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Santa Monica College (SMC) (129 graduates), City College of San Francisco (CCSF) (87 graduates), and Riverside City College (RCC) (66 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Photographic and Video Technology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 635 in 2010 to 1,287 in 2023-24. This represents a 103% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Photographic and Video Technology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Lighting Technicians, Audio and Video Technicians, . Related occupations employ approximately 80,210 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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