Best Film Schools Near Staunton, VA (2026)

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

Staunton, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering film programs. Staunton has a population of about 25,765. Median household income is $62,586 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning film-related role is Writers and Authors at a median $85,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Film Schools to Staunton

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

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 56.3 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 178

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hollins University

Roanoke, VA 73.6 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,075
Avg net price $20,896/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Roanoke College

Salem, VA 80.8 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,047
Avg net price $24,503/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA 85.0 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,433
Avg net price $30,298/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA 92.2 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,178
Avg net price $31,309/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 97.3 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 105.6 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,343
Avg net price $17,915/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Regent University

Virginia Beach, VA 183.0 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 38%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,498
Avg net price $19,923/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,650
Out‑of‑state$21,650
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 88

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

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

Film Wages Near Staunton

Staunton is part of the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro area (BLS area code 44420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Film and Video Editors $78,740 VA statewide $86,432
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film $58,440 VA statewide $64,149
Producers and Directors $65,900 VA statewide $72,338
Special Effects Artists and Animators $81,510 VA statewide $89,473
Audio and Video Technicians $53,960 VA statewide $59,232
Sound Engineering Technicians $49,920 VA statewide $54,797
Writers and Authors $85,000 VA statewide $93,304
Graphic Designers $56,410 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $61,921

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.

Staunton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,765 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,586 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Staunton-Area Cities With Film Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited film schools are near Staunton, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering film programs near Staunton. The closest is Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA (56.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Richmond (92.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying film roles near Staunton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying film-related roles near Staunton are: Writers and Authors ($85,000), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($81,510), Film and Video Editors ($78,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Waynesboro instead of Staunton?

Waynesboro, VA is 10.8 miles from Staunton 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 Staunton an affordable place to study film?

Staunton’s median household income of $62,586 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Staunton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Staunton

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

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 Virginia: Online Programs (2026)