A switching controller having switching frequency hopping for a power converter includes an oscillator generating a pulse signal for determining a switching frequency of a switching signal, a maximum duty-cycle circuit generating a maximum duty-cycle signal in response to the switching signal for determining the switching frequency of the switching signal, a pattern generator generating a digital pattern code in response to a clock signal, a programmable capacitor coupled to the pattern generator and the oscillator for modulating the switching frequency of the switching signal in response to the digital pattern code, and a PWM circuit coupled to the oscillator and the maximum duty-cycle circuit for generating the switching signal in accordance with the pulse signal and the maximum duty-cycle signal. A maximum on-time of the switching signal is limited by the maximum duty-cycle signal. The switching signal is utilized to switch a transformer of the power converter.