Best Game Design Schools Near Flagstaff, AZ (2026)

Flagstaff, Arizona has 1 accredited school offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $2,948 to $14,988 per year for indexed programs. Flagstaff has a population of about 76,333. Median household income is $68,041 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Flagstaff, AZ metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $134,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Game Design Schools to Flagstaff

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer game design programs near Flagstaff, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Flagstaff 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 Flagstaff. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score β€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Yavapai College

Prescott, AZ 64.8 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
57.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,890
Avg net price $8,683/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,948
Out‑of‑state$9,486
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix, AZ 108.4 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,196
Avg net price $12,180/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Glendale Community College

Glendale, AZ 116.4 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
42.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,108
Avg net price $11,650/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 125.0 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,034
Avg net price $12,132/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Advancing Technology

Tempe, AZ 126.7 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,719
Avg net price $28,522/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Mohave Community College

Kingman, AZ 136.3 miles from Flagstaff
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,522
Avg net price $5,974/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 207.7 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,979
Avg net price $16,674/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pima Community College

Tucson, AZ 209.1 miles from Flagstaff
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,810
Avg net price $3,405/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 88

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona game design page.


Game Design Wages Near Flagstaff

Flagstaff is part of the Flagstaff, AZ metro area (BLS area code 22380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $113,580 Flagstaff, AZ $113,240
Special Effects Artists and Animators $89,650 AZ statewide $89,382
Graphic Designers $61,630 Flagstaff, AZ $61,446
Web and Digital Interface Designers $98,070 AZ statewide $97,777
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $100,650 AZ statewide $100,349
Writers and Authors $55,990 AZ statewide $55,823
Computer Programmers $102,300 Flagstaff, AZ $101,994
Computer and Information Systems Managers $134,700 Flagstaff, AZ $134,297

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.


Flagstaff at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 76,333 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,041 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 51.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Flagstaff-Area Cities With Game Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Flagstaff, AZ?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering game design programs near Flagstaff. The closest is Yavapai College in Prescott, AZ (64.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Yavapai College (64.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying game design roles near Flagstaff?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Flagstaff are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($134,700), Software Developers ($113,580), Computer Programmers ($102,300). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Prescott Valley instead of Flagstaff?

Prescott Valley, AZ is 56.8 miles from Flagstaff and has its own set of local game design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Flagstaff an affordable place to study game design?

Flagstaff’s median household income of $68,041 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Flagstaff while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona 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 Game Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Flagstaff

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

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.