Best Film Schools Near Missoula, MT (2026)

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

Missoula, Montana has 1 accredited school offering film programs, with tuition ranging from $8,552 to $33,671 per year for indexed programs. Missoula has a population of about 75,600. Median household income is $65,329 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Missoula, MT metro area, the top-earning film-related role is Graphic Designers at a median $61,930 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Missoula

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

The University of Montana

Missoula, MT 1.4 miles from Missoula
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
43.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,511
Avg net price $16,784/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,552
Out‑of‑state$33,671
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Missoula

Missoula is part of the Missoula, MT metro area (BLS area code 33540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Montana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $42,520 MT statewide $44,108
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $50,910 MT statewide $52,811
Producers and Directors $51,970 Missoula, MT $53,911
Special Effects Artists and Animators N/A MT statewide –
Audio and Video Technicians $46,700 MT statewide $48,444
Sound Engineering Technicians $57,600 MT statewide $59,751
Writers and Authors N/A MT statewide –
Graphic Designers $61,930 Missoula, MT $64,243

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.

Missoula at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 75,600 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $65,329 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 51.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Missoula-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Missoula, MT?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering film programs near Missoula. The closest is The University of Montana in Missoula, MT (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Montana (1.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Missoula?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Missoula are: Graphic Designers ($61,930), Sound Engineering Technicians ($57,600), Producers and Directors ($51,970). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Montana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Butte instead of Missoula?

Butte, MT is 92.8 miles from Missoula 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 Missoula an affordable place to study film?

Missoula’s median household income of $65,329 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Missoula while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Montana 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 Missoula

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

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 Montana: Online Programs (2026)