Best Game Design Schools Near Kankakee, IL (2026)

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

Kankakee, Illinois has 1 accredited school offering game design programs. Kankakee has a population of about 24,384. Median household income is $45,119 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kankakee, IL metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $133,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Kankakee

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

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL 54.8 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
24.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,195
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lake Land College

Mattoon, IL 119.6 miles from Kankakee
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
53.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,877
Avg net price $2,254/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,415
Out‑of‑state$14,301
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Kankakee

Kankakee is part of the Kankakee, IL metro area (BLS area code 28100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $116,550 Kankakee, IL $120,902
Special Effects Artists and Animators $81,180 IL statewide $84,212
Graphic Designers $62,560 IL statewide $64,896
Web and Digital Interface Designers $85,710 IL statewide $88,911
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $104,910 IL statewide $108,828
Writers and Authors $68,220 IL statewide $70,768
Computer Programmers $72,540 IL statewide $75,249
Computer and Information Systems Managers $133,150 Kankakee, IL $138,122

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.

Kankakee at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,384 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $45,119 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 12.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Kankakee-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Kankakee, IL?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering game design programs near Kankakee. The closest is Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL (54.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbia College Chicago (54.8 miles).

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Kankakee are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($133,150), Software Developers ($116,550), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($104,910). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Braidwood instead of Kankakee?

Braidwood, IL is 22.0 miles from Kankakee 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 Kankakee an affordable place to study game design?

Kankakee’s median household income of $45,119 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kankakee while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Kankakee

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

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 Illinois: Online Programs (2026)