Best Game Design Schools Near Ithaca, NY (2026)

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

Ithaca, New York has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $8,892 to $25,385 per year for indexed programs. Ithaca has a population of about 31,792. Median household income is $48,617 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Ithaca, NY metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $168,410 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Ithaca

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

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 67.2 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,445
Avg net price $15,016/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,892
Out‑of‑state$16,837
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Villa Maria College

Buffalo, NY 120.9 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
28.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,857
Avg net price $13,494/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY 140.8 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,819
Avg net price $41,544/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,750
Out‑of‑state$47,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY 145.1 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,051
Avg net price $36,228/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY 163.2 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,860
Avg net price $15,268/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,742
Out‑of‑state$13,572
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Pratt Institute-Main

Brooklyn, NY 178.6 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
50.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,295
Avg net price $52,659/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY 183.6 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,571
Avg net price $29,999/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 111

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Long Island University

Brookville, NY 187.5 miles from Ithaca
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,950
Avg net price $33,062/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,432
Out‑of‑state$42,432
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Ithaca

Ithaca is part of the Ithaca, NY metro area (BLS area code 27060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $122,730 Ithaca, NY $118,809
Special Effects Artists and Animators $96,770 NY statewide $93,679
Graphic Designers $61,250 Ithaca, NY $59,293
Web and Digital Interface Designers $125,810 Ithaca, NY $121,791
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $94,990 Ithaca, NY $91,955
Writers and Authors N/A NY statewide –
Computer Programmers $103,980 NY statewide $100,658
Computer and Information Systems Managers $168,410 Ithaca, NY $163,030

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.

Ithaca at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,792 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,617 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 70.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ithaca-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Ithaca, NY?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Ithaca. The closest is Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, NY (47.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mohawk Valley Community College (78.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Ithaca are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($168,410), Web and Digital Interface Designers ($125,810), Software Developers ($122,730). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cortland instead of Ithaca?

Cortland, NY is 19.7 miles from Ithaca 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 Ithaca an affordable place to study game design?

Ithaca’s median household income of $48,617 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ithaca while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Ithaca

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

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 York: Online Programs (2026)