Best Film Schools Near Ocala, FL (2026)

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

Ocala, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering film programs, with tuition ranging from $2,664 to $72,533 per year for indexed programs. Ocala has a population of about 64,903. Median household income is $53,520 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning film-related role is Special Effects Artists and Animators at a median $85,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Ocala

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer film programs near Ocala, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ocala 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 Ocala. 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

Santa Fe College

Gainesville, FL 38.6 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,631
Avg net price $11,098/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Stetson University

DeLand, FL 52.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,642
Avg net price $19,372/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,410
Out‑of‑state$57,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Seminole State College of Florida

Sanford, FL 59.0 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,733
Avg net price $8,970/yr
Tuition
In‑state$3,122
Out‑of‑state$11,447
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Valencia College

Orlando, FL 61.6 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,594
Avg net price $12,037/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,664
Out‑of‑state$9,576
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Full Sail University

Winter Park, FL 65.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
22.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,219
Avg net price $38,875/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 69.9 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Florida Southern College

Lakeland, FL 80.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,294
Avg net price $28,551/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 80.7 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Ocala

Ocala is part of the Ocala, FL metro area (BLS area code 36100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $60,430 FL statewide $63,477
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $62,220 FL statewide $65,357
Producers and Directors $79,920 FL statewide $83,950
Special Effects Artists and Animators $85,870 FL statewide $90,200
Audio and Video Technicians $54,230 FL statewide $56,964
Sound Engineering Technicians $70,360 FL statewide $73,908
Writers and Authors $68,080 FL statewide $71,513
Graphic Designers $52,370 Ocala, FL $55,011

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.

Ocala at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 64,903 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $53,520 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ocala-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Ocala, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering film programs near Ocala. The closest is Santa Fe College in Gainesville, FL (38.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Valencia College (61.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Ocala?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Ocala are: Special Effects Artists and Animators ($85,870), Producers and Directors ($79,920), Sound Engineering Technicians ($70,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Leesburg instead of Ocala?

Leesburg, FL is 32.3 miles from Ocala 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 Ocala an affordable place to study film?

Ocala’s median household income of $53,520 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ocala while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Ocala

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

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 Florida: Online Programs (2026)