Best Game Design Schools Near McAllen, TX (2026)

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

McAllen, Texas is home to about 143,789 residents. Median household income is $60,165 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $133,750 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to McAllen

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

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX 224.7 miles from McAllen
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,733
Avg net price $22,775/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Saint Edward's University

Austin, TX 278.6 miles from McAllen
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,826
Avg net price $25,578/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,384
Out‑of‑state$51,384
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 56

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

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#3

Houston Christian University

Houston, TX 292.1 miles from McAllen
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,933
Avg net price $20,629/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Blinn College District

Brenham, TX 294.3 miles from McAllen
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
40.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 11%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,318
Avg net price $10,844/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,890
Out‑of‑state$11,370
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 52

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

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#5

Tarrant County College District

Fort Worth, TX 455.0 miles from McAllen
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,727
Avg net price $4,337/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Collin County Community College District

McKinney, TX 489.2 miles from McAllen
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,701
Avg net price $8,969/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near McAllen

McAllen is part of the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area (BLS area code 32580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $116,120 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $135,180
Special Effects Artists and Animators $78,930 TX statewide $91,886
Graphic Designers $42,170 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $49,092
Web and Digital Interface Designers $51,330 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $59,756
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $101,850 TX statewide $118,568
Writers and Authors $69,990 TX statewide $81,478
Computer Programmers $72,430 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $84,319
Computer and Information Systems Managers $133,750 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $155,704

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.

McAllen at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 143,789 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,165 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 85.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other McAllen-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near McAllen are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($133,750), Software Developers ($116,120), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($101,850). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Pharr instead of McAllen?

Pharr, TX is 4.9 miles from McAllen 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 McAllen an affordable place to study game design?

McAllen’s median household income of $60,165 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in McAllen while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 McAllen

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

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 Texas: Online Programs (2026)