Best Game Design Schools Near Harrisonburg, VA (2026)

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

Harrisonburg, Virginia is home to about 51,492 residents. Median household income is $59,752 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Harrisonburg, VA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $150,560 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Harrisonburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer game design programs near Harrisonburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Harrisonburg city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

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

Game Design Wages Near Harrisonburg

Harrisonburg is part of the Harrisonburg, VA metro area (BLS area code 25500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $119,250 Harrisonburg, VA $125,659
Special Effects Artists and Animators $81,510 VA statewide $85,890
Graphic Designers $56,630 Harrisonburg, VA $59,673
Web and Digital Interface Designers $77,140 VA statewide $81,286
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $121,590 VA statewide $128,124
Writers and Authors $85,000 VA statewide $89,568
Computer Programmers $121,610 VA statewide $128,145
Computer and Information Systems Managers $150,560 Harrisonburg, VA $158,651

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.

Harrisonburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 51,492 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $59,752 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 36.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 94.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Harrisonburg-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Harrisonburg are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($150,560), Computer Programmers ($121,610), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($121,590). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Staunton instead of Harrisonburg?

Staunton, VA is 21.7 miles from Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg an affordable place to study game design?

Harrisonburg’s median household income of $59,752 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Harrisonburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Harrisonburg

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

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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