Best Game Design Schools Near San Luis Obispo, CA (2026)

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

San Luis Obispo, California is home to about 48,039 residents. Median household income is $66,711 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $167,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to San Luis Obispo

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

Moorpark College

Moorpark, CA 123.7 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,044
Avg net price $-2,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 142.4 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 81

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

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#3

Gnomon

North Hollywood, CA 149.3 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
60.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $114,785
Avg net price $51,949/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Woodbury University

Burbank, CA 151.1 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
48.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,668
Avg net price $33,692/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

New York Film Academy

Burbank, CA 153.3 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $29,633
Avg net price $39,011/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 160.6 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 267

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Silicon Valley

San Jose, CA 164.4 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,017
Avg net price $27,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills, CA 166.0 miles from San Luis Obispo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,072
Avg net price $7,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege 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 San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area (BLS area code 42020). 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 $135,020 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $124,328
Special Effects Artists and Animators $130,540 CA statewide $120,203
Graphic Designers $75,130 CA statewide $69,180
Web and Digital Interface Designers $82,860 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $76,298
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $128,740 CA statewide $118,545
Writers and Authors $86,340 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $79,503
Computer Programmers $114,110 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $105,074
Computer and Information Systems Managers $167,910 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $154,613

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.

San Luis Obispo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 48,039 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,711 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 54.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 108.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other San Luis Obispo-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying game design roles near San Luis Obispo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near San Luis Obispo are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($167,910), Software Developers ($135,020), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($130,540). 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 Arroyo Grande instead of San Luis Obispo?

Arroyo Grande, CA is 10.9 miles from San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo an affordable place to study game design?

San Luis Obispo’s median household income of $66,711 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for San Luis Obispo:

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)