Best Film Schools Near Aberdeen, SD (2026)

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

Aberdeen, South Dakota is home to about 28,297 residents. Median household income is $63,715 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning film-related role is Producers and Directors at a median $60,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Aberdeen

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer film programs near Aberdeen, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Aberdeen city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

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

Film Wages Near Aberdeen

Occupation Median Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Film and Video Editors $39,090
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $44,160
Producers and Directors $60,260
Special Effects Artists and Animators N/A
Audio and Video Technicians N/A
Sound Engineering Technicians N/A
Writers and Authors $56,700
Graphic Designers $48,390

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.

Aberdeen at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,297 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,715 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 33.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Aberdeen-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying film roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying film-related roles in South Dakota are: Producers and Directors ($60,260), Writers and Authors ($56,700), Graphic Designers ($48,390). Wages for Aberdeen workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Aberdeen?

Watertown, SD is 74.6 miles from Aberdeen 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 Aberdeen an affordable place to study film?

Aberdeen’s median household income of $63,715 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Aberdeen while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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 Aberdeen

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

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.

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