Best Film Schools Near Schenectady, NY (2026)

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

Schenectady, New York has 5 accredited schools offering film programs. Schenectady has a population of about 68,521. Median household income is $56,398 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New York, the top-earning film-related role is Film and Video Editors at a median $103,440 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Schenectady

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

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY 76.8 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
69.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,411
Avg net price $28,985/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, NY 77.1 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
65.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,366
Avg net price $39,343/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY 81.6 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
69.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $85,139
Avg net price $28,786/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 112.8 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 186

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY 115.1 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,596
Avg net price $21,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,567
Out‑of‑state$30,447
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 110

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY 115.7 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
67.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,236
Avg net price $22,345/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,874
Out‑of‑state$18,784
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

SUNY at Purchase College

Purchase, NY 121.8 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,092
Avg net price $18,913/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Manhattanville University

Purchase, NY 122.8 miles from Schenectady
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,832
Avg net price $20,991/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,604
Out‑of‑state$44,604
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Schenectady

Schenectady is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area (BLS area code 10580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $103,440 NY statewide $103,855
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $56,710 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $56,938
Producers and Directors $78,810 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $79,127
Special Effects Artists and Animators $96,770 NY statewide $97,159
Audio and Video Technicians $56,160 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $56,386
Sound Engineering Technicians $87,510 NY statewide $87,861
Writers and Authors $78,050 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $78,363
Graphic Designers $63,200 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $63,454

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.

Schenectady at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 68,521 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,398 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 99.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Schenectady-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Schenectady, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering film programs near Schenectady. The closest is Bennington College in Bennington, VT (35.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hamilton College (76.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Schenectady?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Schenectady are: Film and Video Editors ($103,440), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($96,770), Sound Engineering Technicians ($87,510). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Albany instead of Schenectady?

Albany, NY is 11.5 miles from Schenectady 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 Schenectady an affordable place to study film?

Schenectady’s median household income of $56,398 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Schenectady while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Schenectady

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

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 New York: Online Programs (2026)