Best Film Schools Near Independence, KY (2026)

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

Independence, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering film programs. Independence has a population of about 29,024. Median household income is $98,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, the top-earning film-related role is Special Effects Artists and Animators at a median $67,710 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Independence

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

Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Lexington, KY 61.5 miles from Independence
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,343
Avg net price $6,113/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY 63.1 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,025
Avg net price $18,851/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,502
Out‑of‑state$34,140
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 217

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

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#3

Asbury University

Wilmore, KY 75.5 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $21,401/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 119.3 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,583
Avg net price $19,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Pikeville

Pikeville, KY 149.9 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,231
Avg net price $20,311/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY 171.0 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,889
Avg net price $10,990/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Independence

Independence is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 17140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $50,350 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $52,778
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $63,970 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $67,055
Producers and Directors $67,620 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $70,881
Special Effects Artists and Animators $67,710 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $70,975
Audio and Video Technicians $48,740 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $51,090
Sound Engineering Technicians $53,780 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $56,373
Writers and Authors $62,440 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $65,451
Graphic Designers $62,260 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $65,262

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.

Independence at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,024 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $98,653 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Independence-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Independence, KY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering film programs near Independence. The closest is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in Cincinnati, OH (12.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wright State University-Main Campus (62.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Independence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Independence are: Special Effects Artists and Animators ($67,710), Producers and Directors ($67,620), Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film ($63,970). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Florence instead of Independence?

Florence, KY is 5.9 miles from Independence 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 Independence an affordable place to study film?

Independence’s median household income of $98,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Independence

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

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 Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)