Best Game Design Schools Near Pawtucket, RI (2026)

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

Pawtucket, Rhode Island has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $5,832 to $48,543 per year for indexed programs. Pawtucket has a population of about 75,280. Median household income is $67,436 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $171,220 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Pawtucket

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

New England Institute of Technology

East Greenwich, RI 16.1 miles from Pawtucket
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 67%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,684
Avg net price $36,483/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,275
Out‑of‑state$37,275
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Pawtucket

Pawtucket is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Rhode Island statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $130,690 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $128,379
Special Effects Artists and Animators $80,040 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $78,625
Graphic Designers $70,450 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $69,204
Web and Digital Interface Designers $93,020 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $91,375
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $102,750 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $100,933
Writers and Authors $70,620 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $69,371
Computer Programmers $97,300 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $95,580
Computer and Information Systems Managers $171,220 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $168,193

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.

Pawtucket at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 75,280 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,436 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Pawtucket-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Pawtucket, RI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering game design programs near Pawtucket. The closest is New England Institute of Technology in East Greenwich, RI (16.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Quinsigamond Community College (37.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Pawtucket are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($171,220), Software Developers ($130,690), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($102,750). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Rhode Island statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Providence instead of Pawtucket?

Providence, RI is 4.2 miles from Pawtucket 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 Pawtucket an affordable place to study game design?

Pawtucket’s median household income of $67,436 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pawtucket while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Rhode Island 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 Pawtucket

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

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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