Best Game Design Schools Near Manhattan, KS (2026)

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

Manhattan, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering game design programs. Manhattan has a population of about 53,951. Median household income is $58,441 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Manhattan, KS metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $139,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Manhattan

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

Bethany College

Lindsborg, KS 71.2 miles from Manhattan
  • 4 year
18.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,694
Avg net price $27,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 46%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS 102.4 miles from Manhattan
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,387
Avg net price $14,176/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Manhattan

Manhattan is part of the Manhattan, KS metro area (BLS area code 31740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $101,960 Manhattan, KS $113,038
Special Effects Artists and Animators $62,720 KS statewide $69,534
Graphic Designers $49,800 Manhattan, KS $55,211
Web and Digital Interface Designers $70,620 KS statewide $78,293
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $94,490 KS statewide $104,756
Writers and Authors $65,840 KS statewide $72,993
Computer Programmers $92,960 KS statewide $103,060
Computer and Information Systems Managers $139,180 Manhattan, KS $154,302

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.

Manhattan at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 53,951 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,441 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 52.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Manhattan-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Manhattan, KS?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering game design programs near Manhattan. The closest is Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS (71.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethany College (71.2 miles).

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Manhattan are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($139,180), Software Developers ($101,960), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($94,490). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Junction City instead of Manhattan?

Junction City, KS is 17.2 miles from Manhattan 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 Manhattan an affordable place to study game design?

Manhattan’s median household income of $58,441 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Manhattan while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Manhattan

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

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 Kansas: Online Programs (2026)