Best Game Design Schools Near Salem, VA (2026)

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

Salem, Virginia has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $2,320 to $65,548 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Roanoke, VA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $164,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Salem

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

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). 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 $121,110 Roanoke, VA $129,391
Special Effects Artists and Animators $81,510 VA statewide $87,083
Graphic Designers $60,120 Roanoke, VA $64,231
Web and Digital Interface Designers $77,140 VA statewide $82,415
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $99,600 Roanoke, VA $106,410
Writers and Authors $85,000 VA statewide $90,812
Computer Programmers $92,830 Roanoke, VA $99,177
Computer and Information Systems Managers $164,910 Roanoke, VA $176,186

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.

Salem at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,477 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,716 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Salem-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Salem, VA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Salem. The closest is Greensboro College in Greensboro, NC (85.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is High Point University (90.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Salem are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($164,910), Software Developers ($121,110), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($99,600). 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 Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study game design?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem 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 Salem

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

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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