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Documentary Production

Types of Degrees Documentary Production Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Documentary Production may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10
Bachelor’s Degree	29
Master’s Degree	49

What Documentary Production Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Documentary Production build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Documentary Production graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Documentary Production emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Fine Arts — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Documentary Production program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Documentary Production careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Documentary Production graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.6 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Documentary Production professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Documentary Production graduates include:

• Assistant Professor
• College Faculty Member
• University Faculty Member
• Instructor
• College Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Media Arts Professor
• Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Associate Professor
• Voice Teacher
• Piano Professor
• Art Professor
• Baton Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Documentary Production graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	38.1%
Bachelor’s degree	26.1%
Doctoral degree	15.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.2%
Post-doctoral training	3.2%
Some college courses	2.1%
Postsecondary certificate	1.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%
First professional degree	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Documentary Production?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 53.4% women and 46.6% men among Documentary Production graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	47	53.4%
Men	41	46.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Documentary Production graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	30	34.1%
Asian	3	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino	11	12.5%
Black or African American	15	17.0%
Two or More Races	4	4.5%
Race Unknown	2	2.3%
International Students	23	26.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Documentary Production Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Documentary Production graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,545
4 years	$35,590
5 years	$41,647

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,647 — roughly 63% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Documentary Production Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Documentary Production graduates earn a median of $35,590 four years after completion — about 6% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	50.06
Cinematography and Film/Video Production	50.0602
Film/Cinema/Media Studies	50.0601
Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other	50.0699
Photography	50.0605
Directing and Theatrical Production	50.0507
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General	50.0501
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other	50.0599
Musical Theatre	50.0509
Theatre and Dance	50.0512
Theatre/Theatre Arts Management	50.1004
Acting	50.0506

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.