Best Game Design Schools Near New Brighton, MN (2026)

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

New Brighton, Minnesota has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs. New Brighton has a population of about 22,900. Median household income is $87,272 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $178,080 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to New Brighton

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

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, MN 8.7 miles from New Brighton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,142
Avg net price $12,186/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 9.9 miles from New Brighton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Riverland Community College

Austin, MN 96.6 miles from New Brighton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,247
Avg net price $7,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near New Brighton

New Brighton is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (BLS area code 33460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $130,920 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $124,924
Special Effects Artists and Animators $64,990 MN statewide $62,013
Graphic Designers $65,610 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $62,605
Web and Digital Interface Designers $81,730 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $77,987
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $102,130 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $97,452
Writers and Authors $76,470 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $72,968
Computer Programmers $118,000 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $112,595
Computer and Information Systems Managers $178,080 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $169,924

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.

New Brighton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 22,900 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $87,272 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 49.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 104.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other New Brighton-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near New Brighton, MN?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs near New Brighton. The closest is North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, MN (8.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Riverland Community College (96.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying game design roles near New Brighton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near New Brighton are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($178,080), Software Developers ($130,920), Computer Programmers ($118,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fridley instead of New Brighton?

Fridley, MN is 2.9 miles from New Brighton 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 New Brighton an affordable place to study game design?

New Brighton’s median household income of $87,272 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in New Brighton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 New Brighton

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

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 Minnesota: Online Programs (2026)