Best Game Design Schools Near Kinston, NC (2026)

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

Kinston, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs. Kinston has a population of about 19,576. Median household income is $35,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.1% 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 Kinston

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

Wayne Community College

Goldsboro, NC 21.7 miles from Kinston
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,148
Avg net price $2,245/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pitt Community College

Winterville, NC 21.8 miles from Kinston
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,259
Avg net price $7,337/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 26.2 miles from Kinston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,146
Avg net price $15,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, NC 67.8 miles from Kinston
  • 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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#5

William Peace University

Raleigh, NC 68.6 miles from Kinston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,643
Avg net price $21,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville, NC 76.6 miles from Kinston
  • 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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#7

St. Andrews University

Laurinburg, NC 112.8 miles from Kinston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Greensboro College

Greensboro, NC 135.5 miles from Kinston
  • 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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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina game design page.

Game Design Wages Near Kinston

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.

Kinston at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 19,576 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $35,250 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 16.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Kinston-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Kinston. The closest is Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC (21.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is William Peace University (68.6 miles). 5 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 Kinston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Goldsboro instead of Kinston?

Goldsboro, NC is 22.5 miles from Kinston 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 Kinston an affordable place to study game design?

Kinston’s median household income of $35,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kinston 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 Kinston

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

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.

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