Best Game Design Schools Near Paducah, KY (2026)

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

Paducah, Kentucky is home to about 26,894 residents. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Paducah, KY-IL metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $130,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Paducah

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

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY 120.8 miles from Paducah
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,889
Avg net price $10,990/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Paducah

Paducah is part of the Paducah, KY-IL metro area (BLS area code 37140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $99,260 Paducah, KY-IL $115,285
Special Effects Artists and Animators $50,970 KY statewide $59,199
Graphic Designers $52,960 KY statewide $61,510
Web and Digital Interface Designers $77,000 KY statewide $89,431
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $79,340 Paducah, KY-IL $92,149
Writers and Authors $48,780 KY statewide $56,655
Computer Programmers $94,850 KY statewide $110,163
Computer and Information Systems Managers $130,300 Paducah, KY-IL $151,336

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.

Paducah at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,894 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,243 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 86.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Paducah-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Paducah are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($130,300), Software Developers ($99,260), Computer Programmers ($94,850). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?

Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah 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 Paducah an affordable place to study game design?

Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Paducah

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

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 Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)