Best Game Design Schools Near Watertown, WI (2026)

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

Watertown, Wisconsin has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs, with tuition ranging from $4,819 to $17,359 per year for indexed programs. Watertown has a population of about 22,873. Median household income is $68,333 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning game design-related role is Computer and Information Systems Managers at a median $160,140 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Game Design Schools to Watertown

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

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI 35.0 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,792
Avg net price $17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 246

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee, WI 42.0 miles from Watertown
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,113
Avg net price $9,112/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,184
Out‑of‑state$7,427
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Moraine Park Technical College

Fond du Lac, WI 44.0 miles from Watertown
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,371
Avg net price $9,268/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,819
Out‑of‑state$7,084
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Wisconsin-Stout

Menomonie, WI 196.9 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,084
Avg net price $17,490/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Game Design Wages Near Watertown

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Wisconsin, statewide)
Software Developers $122,660
Special Effects Artists and Animators $64,890
Graphic Designers $59,900
Web and Digital Interface Designers $95,340
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $89,400
Writers and Authors $64,370
Computer Programmers N/A
Computer and Information Systems Managers $160,140

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.

Watertown at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 22,873 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,333 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 19.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Game Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited game design schools are near Watertown, WI?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering game design programs near Watertown. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI (35.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Moraine Park Technical College (44.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying game design roles in Wisconsin?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying game design-related roles in Wisconsin are: Computer and Information Systems Managers ($160,140), Software Developers ($122,660), Web and Digital Interface Designers ($95,340). Wages for Watertown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Fort Atkinson instead of Watertown?

Fort Atkinson, WI is 19.2 miles from Watertown 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 Watertown an affordable place to study game design?

Watertown’s median household income of $68,333 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Watertown

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

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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