Best Game Design Schools Near Waco, TX (2026)

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

Waco, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $51,384 to $66,719 per year for indexed programs. Waco has a population of about 141,925. Median household income is $51,468 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Waco, TX metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $141,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Waco

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

Tarrant County College District

Fort Worth, TX 83.2 miles from Waco
  • 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

#2

Saint Edward's University

Austin, TX 97.9 miles from Waco
  • 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

Blinn College District

Brenham, TX 107.2 miles from Waco
  • 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

#4

Collin County Community College District

McKinney, TX 115.3 miles from Waco
  • 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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#5

Houston Christian University

Houston, TX 162.8 miles from Waco
  • 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

#6

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX 163.4 miles from Waco
  • 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

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

Game Design Wages Near Waco

Waco is part of the Waco, TX metro area (BLS area code 47380). 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 $123,080 Waco, TX $133,059
Special Effects Artists and Animators $78,930 TX statewide $85,330
Graphic Designers $52,920 Waco, TX $57,211
Web and Digital Interface Designers $86,310 Waco, TX $93,308
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $83,150 Waco, TX $89,892
Writers and Authors $69,990 TX statewide $75,665
Computer Programmers $86,900 Waco, TX $93,946
Computer and Information Systems Managers $141,810 Waco, TX $153,308

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.

Waco at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 141,925 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,468 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waco-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Waco, TX?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering game design programs near Waco. The closest is Tarrant County College District in Fort Worth, TX (83.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Edward’s University (97.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Waco are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($141,810), Software Developers ($123,080), Computer Programmers ($86,900). 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 Temple instead of Waco?

Temple, TX is 33.4 miles from Waco 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 Waco an affordable place to study game design?

Waco’s median household income of $51,468 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waco 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 Waco

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

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)