Best Game Design Schools Near Traverse City, MI (2026)

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

Traverse City, Michigan is home to about 15,491 residents. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Traverse City, MI metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $141,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Traverse City

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

Muskegon Community College

Muskegon, MI 108.0 miles from Traverse City
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,549
Avg net price $4,005/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Baker College

Owosso, MI 141.5 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,833
Avg net price $13,157/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,000
Out‑of‑state$13,000
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 150.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 188.8 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,898
Avg net price $7,761/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, MI 197.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,449
Avg net price $3,249/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 199.3 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Macomb Community College

Warren, MI 203.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,596
Avg net price $1,618/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wayne County Community College District

Detroit, MI 210.7 miles from Traverse City
  • 2 year
21.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $29,079
Avg net price $7,656/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Traverse City

Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $95,860 Traverse City, MI $102,634
Special Effects Artists and Animators $86,630 MI statewide $92,752
Graphic Designers $49,940 Traverse City, MI $53,469
Web and Digital Interface Designers $81,010 MI statewide $86,734
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $98,720 MI statewide $105,696
Writers and Authors N/A MI statewide –
Computer Programmers $85,590 Traverse City, MI $91,638
Computer and Information Systems Managers $141,450 Traverse City, MI $151,445

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.

Traverse City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 15,491 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $71,731 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 47.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying game design roles near Traverse City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Traverse City are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($141,450), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($98,720), Software Developers ($95,860). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?

Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City 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 Traverse City an affordable place to study game design?

Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Traverse City

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

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 Michigan: Online Programs (2026)