Best Game Design Schools Near Kennewick, WA (2026)

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

Kennewick, Washington is home to about 84,389 residents. Median household income is $72,867 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $175,970 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Kennewick

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

Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle, WA 178.6 miles from Kennewick
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Seattle, WA 179.3 miles from Kennewick
  • 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

Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon, WA 213.3 miles from Kennewick
  • 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

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

Game Design Wages Near Kennewick

Kennewick is part of the Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area (BLS area code 28420). 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 $127,800 Kennewick-Richland, WA $127,672
Special Effects Artists and Animators $133,480 WA statewide $133,347
Graphic Designers $74,520 Kennewick-Richland, WA $74,446
Web and Digital Interface Designers $83,300 Kennewick-Richland, WA $83,217
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $128,860 Kennewick-Richland, WA $128,731
Writers and Authors $85,700 WA statewide $85,614
Computer Programmers $125,620 WA statewide $125,495
Computer and Information Systems Managers $175,970 Kennewick-Richland, WA $175,794

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.

Kennewick at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 84,389 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $72,867 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 26.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Kennewick-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Kennewick are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($175,970), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($133,480), Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($128,860). 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 Pasco instead of Kennewick?

Pasco, WA is 4.2 miles from Kennewick 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 Kennewick an affordable place to study game design?

Kennewick’s median household income of $72,867 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kennewick 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 Kennewick

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

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)