Best Game Design Schools Near Irvine, CA (2026)

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

Irvine, California has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $1,156 to $57,989 per year for indexed programs. Irvine has a population of about 308,160. Median household income is $129,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $204,370 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Irvine

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

Irvine Valley College

Irvine, CA 0.2 miles from Irvine
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,156
Avg net price $2,090/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,156
Out‑of‑state$11,860
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 4.4 miles from Irvine
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 134

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Irvine

Irvine is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $160,920 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $141,655
Special Effects Artists and Animators $124,590 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $109,674
Graphic Designers $72,400 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $63,732
Web and Digital Interface Designers $106,550 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $93,794
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $122,210 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $107,579
Writers and Authors $77,250 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $68,002
Computer Programmers $107,090 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $94,269
Computer and Information Systems Managers $204,370 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $179,903

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.

Irvine at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 308,160 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $129,647 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 70.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 113.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Irvine-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Irvine, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Irvine. The closest is Irvine Valley College in Irvine, CA (0.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Biola University (21.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Irvine are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($204,370), Software Developers ($160,920), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($124,590). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Tustin instead of Irvine?

Tustin, CA is 4.3 miles from Irvine 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 Irvine an affordable place to study game design?

Irvine’s median household income of $129,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Irvine while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Irvine

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

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 California: Online Programs (2026)