Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Kent, WA (2026)

Kent, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $4,772 to $18,837 per year for indexed programs. Kent has a population of about 135,015. Median household income is $90,416 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Special Effects Artist and Animator at a median $134,120 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Kent

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

#1

Highline College

Des Moines, WA 4.2 miles from Kent BOC Score 68.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,869
Avg net price $9,879/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,772
Out‑of‑state$5,332
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bellevue College

Bellevue, WA 13.8 miles from Kent BOC Score 73.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,310
Avg net price $11,430/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Northwest College of Art & Design

Tacoma, WA 14.1 miles from Kent BOC Score 31.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,167
Avg net price $16,418/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Bates Technical College

Tacoma, WA 14.5 miles from Kent BOC Score 65.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,051
Avg net price $6,292/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,027
Out‑of‑state$12,165
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Seattle Central College

Seattle, WA 16.5 miles from Kent BOC Score 55.0
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,307
Avg net price $8,819/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 19.1 miles from Kent BOC Score 89.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, WA 19.3 miles from Kent BOC Score 52.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,506
Avg net price $24,488/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Kent

Kent is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$76,720Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$69,055
Art Director$124,610Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$112,160
Web and Digital Interface Designer$133,760Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$120,396
Special Effects Artist and Animator$134,120Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$120,720

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.


Kent at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population135,015Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$90,416Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)111.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Kent-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Kent, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Kent. The closest is Highline College in Des Moines, WA (4.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bates Technical College (14.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Kent are: Special Effects Artist and Animator ($134,120), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($133,760), Art Director ($124,610). 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 Des Moines instead of Kent?

Des Moines, WA is 4.8 miles from Kent 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 Kent an affordable place to study graphic design?

Kent’s median household income of $90,416 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kent 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 Graphic Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Kent

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

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 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.