Best Film Schools Near Watauga, TX (2026)

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

Watauga, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering film programs, with tuition ranging from $25,064 to $85,606 per year for indexed programs. Watauga has a population of about 23,336. Median household income is $91,669 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area, the top-earning film-related role is Special Effects Artists and Animators at a median $79,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Watauga

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

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX 27.2 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,354
Avg net price $40,892/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,040
Out‑of‑state$67,040
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 105

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

#2

Nelson University

Waxahachie, TX 39.7 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 89%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,238
Avg net price $21,662/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,064
Out‑of‑state$25,064
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 38

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

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#3

Baylor University

Waco, TX 91.9 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 51%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,793
Avg net price $41,104/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,100
Out‑of‑state$58,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 141

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

#4

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

Belton, TX 125.3 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,132
Avg net price $26,106/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Houston Christian University

Houston, TX 242.3 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,933
Avg net price $20,629/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Houston Community College

Houston, TX 242.9 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,254
Avg net price $5,737/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Northwest Vista College

San Antonio, TX 250.2 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,490
Avg net price $4,525/yr
Tuition
In‑state$3,412
Out‑of‑state$9,952
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 14

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

#8

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 271.7 miles from Watauga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Film Wages Near Watauga

Watauga is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area (BLS area code 19100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $65,000 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $63,046
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $64,380 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $62,444
Producers and Directors $77,260 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $74,937
Special Effects Artists and Animators $79,390 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $77,003
Audio and Video Technicians $56,740 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $55,034
Sound Engineering Technicians $54,370 TX statewide $52,735
Writers and Authors $64,520 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $62,580
Graphic Designers $63,780 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $61,862

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.

Watauga at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,336 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $91,669 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 25.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Watauga-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Watauga, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering film programs near Watauga. The closest is KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts in Dallas, TX (24.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Baylor University (91.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Watauga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Watauga are: Special Effects Artists and Animators ($79,390), Producers and Directors ($77,260), Film and Video Editors ($65,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in North Richland Hills instead of Watauga?

North Richland Hills, TX is 2.1 miles from Watauga 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 Watauga an affordable place to study film?

Watauga’s median household income of $91,669 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watauga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Watauga

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

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 Texas: Online Programs (2026)