Best Film Schools Near Scottsdale, AZ (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Scottsdale, Arizona has 4 accredited schools offering film programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $19,281 per year for indexed programs. Scottsdale has a population of about 242,169. Median household income is $107,372 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 61.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning film-related role is Special Effects Artists and Animators at a median $96,670 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Scottsdale

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer film programs near Scottsdale, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Scottsdale city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Scottsdale. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 12.2 miles from Scottsdale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,905
Avg net price $13,336/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona film page.

Film Wages Near Scottsdale

Scottsdale is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $45,750 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $44,288
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $71,080 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $68,809
Producers and Directors $72,740 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $70,416
Special Effects Artists and Animators $96,670 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $93,582
Audio and Video Technicians $47,150 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $45,644
Sound Engineering Technicians $66,360 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $64,240
Writers and Authors $58,870 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $56,989
Graphic Designers $59,090 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $57,202

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Scottsdale at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 242,169 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $107,372 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 61.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Scottsdale-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Scottsdale, AZ?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering film programs near Scottsdale. The closest is Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, AZ (12.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Yavapai College (68.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Scottsdale?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Scottsdale are: Special Effects Artists and Animators ($96,670), Producers and Directors ($72,740), Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film ($71,080). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fountain Hills instead of Scottsdale?

Fountain Hills, AZ is 9.1 miles from Scottsdale and has its own set of local film programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Scottsdale an affordable place to study film?

Scottsdale’s median household income of $107,372 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Scottsdale while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Film Programs

Other Programs Available in Scottsdale

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Scottsdale:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Film Schools in Arizona: Online Programs (2026)