Best Game Design Schools Near Erie, PA (2026)

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

Erie, Pennsylvania has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs. Erie has a population of about 94,156. Median household income is $43,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Erie, PA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $131,610 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Erie

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

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA 115.8 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 12%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $114,862
Avg net price $31,944/yr
Tuition
In‑state$66,246
Out‑of‑state$66,246
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 128

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Harrisburg, PA 209.7 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,374
Avg net price $15,376/yr
Tuition
In‑state$24,400
Out‑of‑state$24,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Lancaster, PA 242.9 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,301
Avg net price $30,083/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Albright College

Reading, PA 248.0 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,700
Avg net price $20,024/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 248.6 miles from Erie
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,775
Avg net price $21,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Lehigh Carbon Community College

Schnecksville, PA 252.1 miles from Erie
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,436
Avg net price $9,203/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 Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania game design page.

Game Design Wages Near Erie

Erie is part of the Erie, PA metro area (BLS area code 21500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $101,550 Erie, PA $111,593
Special Effects Artists and Animators $71,760 PA statewide $78,857
Graphic Designers $54,940 Erie, PA $60,374
Web and Digital Interface Designers $104,160 PA statewide $114,462
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $93,030 PA statewide $102,231
Writers and Authors $77,410 PA statewide $85,066
Computer Programmers $78,060 Erie, PA $85,780
Computer and Information Systems Managers $131,610 Erie, PA $144,626

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.

Erie at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 94,156 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $43,397 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Erie-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Erie, PA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Erie. The closest is Villa Maria College in Buffalo, NY (85.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Cuyahoga Community College District (93.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Erie are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($131,610), Web and Digital Interface Designers ($104,160), Software Developers ($101,550). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Meadville instead of Erie?

Meadville, PA is 32.6 miles from Erie 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 Erie an affordable place to study game design?

Erie’s median household income of $43,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Erie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Erie

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

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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