Best Game Design Schools Near Forest City, NC (2026)

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

Forest City, North Carolina has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% 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 Forest City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer game design programs near Forest City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Forest City 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 Forest City. 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 28.8 miles from Forest City
  • 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 59.2 miles from Forest City
  • 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

Stanly Community College

Albemarle, NC 92.1 miles from Forest City
  • 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

#4

High Point University

High Point, NC 114.2 miles from Forest City
  • 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

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#5

Guilford Technical Community College

Jamestown, NC 118.7 miles from Forest City
  • 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

#6

Greensboro College

Greensboro, NC 126.8 miles from Forest City
  • 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 141.3 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville, NC 167.2 miles from Forest City
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,861
Avg net price $3,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 72

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 Forest City

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.

Forest City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 7,368 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $35,897 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Forest City, NC?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Forest City. The closest is Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, NC (28.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Stanly Community College (92.1 miles). 3 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 Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?

Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City 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 Forest City an affordable place to study game design?

Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City 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 Forest City

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

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)