Best Game Design Schools Near Bellingham, WA (2026)

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

Bellingham, Washington has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs. Bellingham has a population of about 92,367. Median household income is $65,821 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bellingham, WA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $169,640 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Bellingham

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

Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon, WA 23.0 miles from Bellingham
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,505
Avg net price $6,064/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Seattle, WA 78.4 miles from Bellingham
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Avg net price $34,626/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle, WA 78.7 miles from Bellingham
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Bellingham

Bellingham is part of the Bellingham, WA metro area (BLS area code 13380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developers $128,250 Bellingham, WA $124,153
Special Effects Artists and Animators $133,480 WA statewide $129,216
Graphic Designers $59,850 Bellingham, WA $57,938
Web and Digital Interface Designers $130,480 WA statewide $126,312
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $103,280 Bellingham, WA $99,981
Writers and Authors $85,700 WA statewide $82,962
Computer Programmers $104,240 Bellingham, WA $100,910
Computer and Information Systems Managers $169,640 Bellingham, WA $164,221

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.

Bellingham at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 92,367 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $65,821 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 46.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Bellingham-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Bellingham, WA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Bellingham. The closest is Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, WA (23.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Cornish College of the Arts (78.7 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Bellingham are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($169,640), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($133,480), Web and Digital Interface Designers ($130,480). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Vernon instead of Bellingham?

Mount Vernon, WA is 24.1 miles from Bellingham 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 Bellingham an affordable place to study game design?

Bellingham’s median household income of $65,821 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bellingham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Bellingham

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

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 Washington: Online Programs (2026)