Best Game Design Schools Near Princeton, NJ (2026)

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

Princeton, New Jersey has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs. Princeton has a population of about 30,451. Median household income is $184,113 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 84.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $197,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Princeton

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

Mercer County Community College

West Windsor, NJ 7.1 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,264
Avg net price $5,279/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Raritan Valley Community College

Branchburg, NJ 17.5 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,145
Avg net price $6,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Brookdale Community College

Lincroft, NJ 28.3 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,379
Avg net price $11,231/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey

Cranford, NJ 28.4 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,595
Avg net price $8,257/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ 50.7 miles from Princeton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,988
Avg net price $22,408/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,574
Out‑of‑state$26,932
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 184

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Bergen Community College

Paramus, NJ 51.2 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,624
Avg net price $10,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Salem Community College

Carneys Point, NJ 62.1 miles from Princeton
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,020
Avg net price $10,816/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Princeton

Princeton is part of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area (BLS area code 45940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $128,770 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $124,777
Special Effects Artists and Animators N/A NJ statewide –
Graphic Designers $71,750 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $69,525
Web and Digital Interface Designers $87,530 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $84,816
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $100,710 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $97,587
Writers and Authors $90,060 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $87,267
Computer Programmers $110,990 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $107,548
Computer and Information Systems Managers $197,420 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $191,298

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.

Princeton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 30,451 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $184,113 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 84.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.2 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Princeton-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Princeton, NJ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Princeton. The closest is Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, NJ (7.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pratt Institute-Main (43.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Princeton are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($197,420), Software Developers ($128,770), Computer Programmers ($110,990). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Trenton instead of Princeton?

Trenton, NJ is 10.4 miles from Princeton 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 Princeton an affordable place to study game design?

Princeton’s median household income of $184,113 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Princeton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey 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 Princeton

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

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 New Jersey: Online Programs (2026)