Best Game Design Schools Near Rome, NY (2026)

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

Rome, New York has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $8,742 to $24,906 per year for indexed programs. Rome has a population of about 31,795. Median household income is $58,857 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Utica-Rome, NY metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $160,000 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Rome

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

Canton, NY 96.5 miles from Rome
  • 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

#2

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY 97.9 miles from Rome
  • 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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#3

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY 130.8 miles from Rome
  • 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

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 134.8 miles from Rome
  • 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

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#5

Villa Maria College

Buffalo, NY 168.3 miles from Rome
  • 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

#6

Pratt Institute-Main

Brooklyn, NY 191.9 miles from Rome
  • 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

Long Island University

Brookville, NY 192.6 miles from Rome
  • 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

#8

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY 193.6 miles from Rome
  • 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

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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 Rome

Rome is part of the Utica-Rome, NY metro area (BLS area code 46540). 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 $113,390 Utica-Rome, NY $122,319
Special Effects Artists and Animators $96,770 NY statewide $104,391
Graphic Designers $58,550 Utica-Rome, NY $63,161
Web and Digital Interface Designers $76,780 Utica-Rome, NY $82,826
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $99,880 Utica-Rome, NY $107,745
Writers and Authors N/A NY statewide –
Computer Programmers $78,770 Utica-Rome, NY $84,973
Computer and Information Systems Managers $160,000 Utica-Rome, NY $172,600

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.

Rome at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,795 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,857 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.7 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Rome-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Rome. The closest is Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY (17.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (97.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Rome are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($160,000), Software Developers ($113,390), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($99,880). 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 Oneida instead of Rome?

Oneida, NY is 13.4 miles from Rome 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 Rome an affordable place to study game design?

Rome’s median household income of $58,857 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rome 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 Rome

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

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)