Best Film Schools Near Paducah, KY (2026)

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

Paducah, Kentucky has 2 accredited schools offering film programs. Paducah has a population of about 26,894. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning film-related role is Sound Engineering Technicians at a median $74,100 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Paducah

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

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY 120.8 miles from Paducah
  • 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

#2

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 182.3 miles from Paducah
  • 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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#3

Asbury University

Wilmore, KY 225.0 miles from Paducah
  • 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

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY 236.3 miles from Paducah
  • 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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#5

Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Lexington, KY 237.0 miles from Paducah
  • 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

#6

University of Pikeville

Pikeville, KY 337.7 miles from Paducah
  • 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

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

Film Wages Near Paducah

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Kentucky, statewide)
Film and Video Editors $62,330
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $53,790
Producers and Directors $54,550
Special Effects Artists and Animators $50,970
Audio and Video Technicians $48,320
Sound Engineering Technicians $74,100
Writers and Authors $48,780
Graphic Designers $52,960

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.

Paducah at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,894 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,243 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 86.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Paducah-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Paducah, KY?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering film programs near Paducah. The closest is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in Carbondale, IL (54.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Union University (97.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles in Kentucky?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying film-related roles in Kentucky are: Sound Engineering Technicians ($74,100), Film and Video Editors ($62,330), Producers and Directors ($54,550). Wages for Paducah workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?

Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah 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 Paducah an affordable place to study film?

Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah 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 Paducah

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

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)