Best Game Design Schools Near Spokane, WA (2026)

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

Spokane, Washington is home to about 229,228 residents. Median household income is $65,745 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $172,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Spokane

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer game design programs near Spokane, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Spokane 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 Spokane. 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 228.2 miles from Spokane
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Seattle, WA 228.9 miles from Spokane
  • 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 231.4 miles from Spokane
  • 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 Spokane

Spokane is part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area (BLS area code 44060). 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 $130,690 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $130,299
Special Effects Artists and Animators $133,480 WA statewide $133,081
Graphic Designers $56,530 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $56,361
Web and Digital Interface Designers $92,790 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $92,512
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $95,680 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $95,394
Writers and Authors $62,060 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $61,874
Computer Programmers $125,240 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $124,865
Computer and Information Systems Managers $172,900 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $172,383

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.

Spokane at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 229,228 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $65,745 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Spokane-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles near Spokane are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($172,900), Special Effects Artists and Animators ($133,480), Software Developers ($130,690). 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 Spokane Valley instead of Spokane?

Spokane Valley, WA is 9.2 miles from Spokane 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 Spokane an affordable place to study game design?

Spokane’s median household income of $65,745 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Spokane 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 Spokane

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

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)