Best Game Design Schools Near Rochester, MN (2026)

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

Rochester, Minnesota has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs. Rochester has a population of about 121,638. Median household income is $87,767 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rochester, MN metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $177,620 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Rochester

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

Riverland Community College

Austin, MN 34.9 miles from Rochester
  • 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

#2

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 71.4 miles from Rochester
  • 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

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, MN 87.4 miles from Rochester
  • 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

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

Game Design Wages Near Rochester

Rochester is part of the Rochester, MN metro area (BLS area code 40340). 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 $134,450 Rochester, MN $148,073
Special Effects Artists and Animators $64,990 MN statewide $71,575
Graphic Designers $61,240 Rochester, MN $67,445
Web and Digital Interface Designers $82,650 MN statewide $91,024
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $120,630 Rochester, MN $132,852
Writers and Authors $72,810 MN statewide $80,187
Computer Programmers $65,070 Rochester, MN $71,663
Computer and Information Systems Managers $177,620 Rochester, MN $195,617

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.

Rochester at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 121,638 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $87,767 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 50.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Rochester-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Rochester, MN?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs near Rochester. The closest is Riverland Community College in Austin, MN (34.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Hennepin Community College (87.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Rochester are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($177,620), Software Developers ($134,450), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($120,630). 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 Austin instead of Rochester?

Austin, MN is 34.3 miles from Rochester 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 Rochester an affordable place to study game design?

Rochester’s median household income of $87,767 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rochester 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 Rochester

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

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)