Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Reno, NV (2026)

Reno, Nevada has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $1,131 to $17,666 per year for indexed programs. Reno has a population of about 268,959. Median household income is $78,448 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Reno, NV metro area, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Special Effects Artist and Animator at a median $105,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Reno

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Reno, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Reno 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 Reno. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV 2.0 miles from Reno BOC Score 67.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,614
Avg net price $15,927/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Truckee Meadows Community College

Reno, NV 3.2 miles from Reno BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,573
Avg net price $8,312/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Reno

Reno is part of the Reno, NV metro area (BLS area code 39900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nevada statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$56,160Reno, NV$55,604
Art Director$94,650Reno, NV$93,713
Web and Digital Interface Designer$77,290Reno, NV$76,525
Special Effects Artist and Animator$105,240Reno, NV$104,198

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.


Reno at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population268,959Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$78,448Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.0 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Reno-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Reno, NV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Reno. The closest is University of Nevada-Reno in Reno, NV (2.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Feather River Community College District (65.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying graphic design roles near Reno?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Reno are: Special Effects Artist and Animator ($105,240), Art Director ($94,650), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($77,290). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nevada statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Sparks instead of Reno?

Sparks, NV is 7.4 miles from Reno and has its own set of local graphic design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Reno an affordable place to study graphic design?

Reno’s median household income of $78,448 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Reno while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nevada 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 Graphic Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Reno

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

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.