Best Film Schools Near Charleston, IL (2026)

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

Charleston, Illinois has 3 accredited schools offering film programs, with tuition ranging from $59,070 to $74,320 per year for indexed programs. Charleston has a population of about 17,212. Median household income is $49,057 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning film-related role is Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film at a median $100,170 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Charleston

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

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 134.6 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,390
Avg net price $13,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Governors State University

University Park, IL 137.9 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,169
Avg net price $12,329/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 162.0 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,885
Avg net price $14,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL 167.6 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
24.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,195
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

DePaul University

Chicago, IL 167.8 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,751
Avg net price $30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL 179.2 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,363
Avg net price $29,167/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 167

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL 187.0 miles from Charleston
  • 4 year
62.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,971
Avg net price $22,736/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

College of Lake County

Grayslake, IL 198.5 miles from Charleston
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
47.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,424
Avg net price $7,607/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,788
Out‑of‑state$14,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Charleston

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Film and Video Editors $72,460
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $100,170
Producers and Directors $81,080
Special Effects Artists and Animators $81,180
Audio and Video Technicians $60,740
Sound Engineering Technicians $73,130
Writers and Authors $68,220
Graphic Designers $62,560

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.

Charleston at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 17,212 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $49,057 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Charleston-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Charleston, IL?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering film programs near Charleston. The closest is DePauw University in Greencastle, IN (71.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Purdue University-Main Campus (93.4 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying film-related roles in Illinois are: Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film ($100,170), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($81,180), Producers and Directors ($81,080). Wages for Charleston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Terre Haute instead of Charleston?

Terre Haute, IN is 42.8 miles from Charleston 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 Charleston an affordable place to study film?

Charleston’s median household income of $49,057 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Charleston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Charleston

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

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 Illinois: Online Programs (2026)