Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Harrisonburg, VA (2026)

Harrisonburg, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $5,646 to $20,788 per year for indexed programs. Harrisonburg has a population of about 51,492. Median household income is $59,752 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Art Director at a median $101,150 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Harrisonburg

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

#1

Southern Virginia University

Buena Vista, VA 54.3 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 34.9
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,002
Avg net price $22,213/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 76.8 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Longwood University

Farmville, VA 82.7 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 61.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,347
Avg net price $19,066/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 88.9 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 81.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,343
Avg net price $17,915/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 98.7 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 65.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Marymount University

Arlington, VA 99.6 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 61.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,516
Avg net price $29,137/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 119.3 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 80.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,698
Avg net price $24,953/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Ferrum College

Ferrum, VA 121.6 miles from Harrisonburg BOC Score 30.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,296
Avg net price $20,082/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Harrisonburg

Harrisonburg is part of the Harrisonburg, VA metro area (BLS area code 25500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$56,630Harrisonburg, VA$59,673
Art Director$101,150VA statewide$106,586
Web and Digital Interface Designer$77,140VA statewide$81,286
Special Effects Artist and Animator$81,510VA statewide$85,890

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.


Harrisonburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population51,492Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,752Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)94.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Harrisonburg-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Harrisonburg, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Harrisonburg. The closest is James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Virginia-Main Campus (34.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Harrisonburg are: Art Director ($101,150), Special Effects Artist and Animator ($81,510), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($77,140). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Staunton instead of Harrisonburg?

Staunton, VA is 21.7 miles from Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg an affordable place to study graphic design?

Harrisonburg’s median household income of $59,752 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Harrisonburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Harrisonburg

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

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.