Best Game Design Schools Near Maricopa, AZ (2026)

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

Maricopa, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs. Maricopa has a population of about 62,986. Median household income is $94,208 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $169,720 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Maricopa

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

University of Advancing Technology

Tempe, AZ 23.1 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#2

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 25.3 miles from Maricopa
  • 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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#3

Glendale Community College

Glendale, AZ 37.7 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix, AZ 42.0 miles from Maricopa
  • 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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#5

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 83.6 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#6

Pima Community College

Tucson, AZ 86.9 miles from Maricopa
  • 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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#7

Yavapai College

Prescott, AZ 106.8 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#8

Mohave Community College

Kingman, AZ 192.1 miles from Maricopa
  • 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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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona game design page.

Game Design Wages Near Maricopa

Maricopa is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). 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 $131,750 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $127,541
Special Effects Artists and Animators $96,670 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $93,582
Graphic Designers $59,090 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $57,202
Web and Digital Interface Designers $104,940 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $101,588
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $100,740 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $97,522
Writers and Authors $58,870 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $56,989
Computer Programmers $91,110 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $88,199
Computer and Information Systems Managers $169,720 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $164,298

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.

Maricopa at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 62,986 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $94,208 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Maricopa-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Maricopa. The closest is University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, AZ (23.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Arizona (83.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Maricopa are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($169,720), Software Developers ($131,750), Web and Digital Interface Designers ($104,940). 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 Casa Grande instead of Maricopa?

Casa Grande, AZ is 17.5 miles from Maricopa 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 Maricopa an affordable place to study game design?

Maricopa’s median household income of $94,208 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Maricopa 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 Maricopa

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

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 Game Design Schools in Arizona: Online Programs (2026)