Best Game Design Schools Near Boone, NC (2026)

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

Boone, North Carolina has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $2,320 to $65,548 per year for indexed programs. Boone has a population of about 19,534. Median household income is $28,633 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $172,860 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Boone

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

Western Piedmont Community College

Morganton, NC 33.7 miles from Boone
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,195
Avg net price $6,448/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, NC 83.2 miles from Boone
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,865
Avg net price $3,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

High Point University

High Point, NC 94.8 miles from Boone
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,389
Avg net price $38,707/yr
Tuition
In‑state$45,312
Out‑of‑state$45,312
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Guilford Technical Community College

Jamestown, NC 98.6 miles from Boone
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,934
Avg net price $15,002/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,320
Out‑of‑state$7,696
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Stanly Community College

Albemarle, NC 100.3 miles from Boone
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,686
Avg net price $5,721/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Greensboro College

Greensboro, NC 104.6 miles from Boone
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
38.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,566
Avg net price $17,882/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,000
Out‑of‑state$21,000
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

St. Andrews University

Laurinburg, NC 159.4 miles from Boone
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, NC 170.1 miles from Boone
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,769
Avg net price $8,759/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Boone

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Software Developers $134,710
Special Effects Artists and Animators $88,350
Graphic Designers $58,450
Web and Digital Interface Designers $97,990
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $100,390
Writers and Authors $63,660
Computer Programmers $81,070
Computer and Information Systems Managers $172,860

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.

Boone at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 19,534 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $28,633 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 53.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Boone-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Boone, NC?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering game design programs near Boone. The closest is Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, NC (33.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Guilford Technical Community College (98.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying game design roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles in North Carolina are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($172,860), Software Developers ($134,710), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($100,390). Wages for Boone workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hickory instead of Boone?

Hickory, NC is 37.7 miles from Boone 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 Boone an affordable place to study game design?

Boone’s median household income of $28,633 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Boone while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Boone

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

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 North Carolina (2026)