Video Game Development Degree Programs

The video gaming industry is forecast to reach an overall value of nearly $20 billion by 2019, and the games it releases are getting more complex and labor-intensive to produce. The demand for trained programmers, artists, designers and developers has been on the rise for years, and video game development degree programs have cropped up around the country to fill that need.

Many four-year degree programs in game development give students an introduction to every stage of the development process, from initial design to publishing. Others give students the option to narrow their approach and focus deeply on one specific aspect of game work, such as art, animation, programming or gameplay design.

Just about all of the work that's done on video games takes place on a computer screen, so the emergence of online video game development degrees seems fairly natural. If you're looking to get an education in game development without committing to a full-time, traditional degree, look into online degree programs for game development students.

Best Colleges for Video Game Development Degree Programs

We looked at National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data on the dozens of schools nationwide that offer campus-based and online video game development degrees, analyzed it in eight major categories and ranked the final scores from top to bottom. Click the button to find out just how we calculated the rankings and continue reading for some info on the top schools for video game development.

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Methodology
1Full Sail University+
Admission Rate
Open
Graduation Rate
30.73%
Number of Degrees Offered
1
Number of Degrees Conferred
1
At least 1 program offered
Yes

Full Sail University isn't only one of the best schools for video game development, it also produces by far the highest volume of game development graduates of any school in our top ten. The NCES reports that Full Sail graduated 734 game design and development students in 2015 -- fully seven times more than the second-place school in that category of our analysis.

The numbers also show that students looking for online game development degrees can find what they're after at this private, for-profit school. More than 99 percent of students at Full Sail took at least some of their coursework online, and a 29-month version of the institution's game design bachelor's can be earned entirely online.

Additional Info
2Indian River State College+
Admission Rate
Open
Graduation Rate
38.72%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Our No. 2 school, located in Fort Pierce, Florida, took home the crown for most affordable video game development degree programs by a wide margin. The annual average tuition and fees expense of $2,764 at Indian River State College was nearly six times more affordable than the average calculated among schools that made our top ten.

The game development degree at IRSC is offered as a concentration in animation, gaming and 3D modeling within a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree in digital media. The curriculum focuses mostly on the artistic side of game development, teaching such skills as storyboarding, model design, environment art and texturing, although programming and play theory courses are included also.

Additional Info
3SAE Expression College+
Admission Rate
Open
Graduation Rate
59.09%
Number of Degrees Offered
1
Number of Degrees Conferred
17
At least 1 program offered
Yes

This for-profit school headquartered in Emeryville, California, offers two degree programs targeted to the gaming and interactive entertainment industry, both structured as B.A.S. programs and both with an expected full-time duration of 32 months. The game development program is the more technical of the two, with the game art and design program focusing more on art and animation.

Game development students at SAE Expression College take four semesters of general game development instruction, not including the introductory course taken in the first program year. Other courses cover multiplayer game design and technology, logic and math for games, programming for games and level and entertainment design.

Additional Info
4Living Arts College+
Admission Rate
100%
Graduation Rate
56.35%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

The No. 1 graduation rate among our top schools for video game development can be found at Living Arts College, where 100 percent of students attend classes on campus and around 12 percent graduated with degrees in the gaming field in 2015. The flagship Raleigh campus of this North Carolina school offers classes in the evening and on weekends for students who need them.

The B.A. in visual effects and animation at Living Arts College takes three years of full-time study to complete and includes some instruction on game technology, level design and overall production strategies. Students can also choose a 12-month non-degree program that leads to a credential called a Professional Intensive Diploma (PID).

Additional Info
5Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design+
Admission Rate
Open
Graduation Rate
41.05%
Number of Degrees Offered
1
Number of Degrees Conferred
9
At least 1 program offered
Yes

Our No. 5 school finished in the top three among schools on our list for both graduation rate and affordability of tuition and fees. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design has an open admission policy, also, which means that no applicant will be turned away on the basis of test scores or past academic performance. The student-faculty ratio was 10:1 in 2015.

The gaming and multimedia degree at RMCAD takes the shape of a B.F.A. in game art, focusing on such skills as digital painting, character design, particles and visual effects for games and designing 3D models and rigging them for animation. Some non-art courses, such as business ethics for animators and game production basics, are also included.

Additional Info
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Video Game Development Degree Programs and Common Career Paths

A four-year degree in video game development can prepare you for fairly complex positions in the industry, although it's often necessary to enter the field in a specialized capacity such as artist, animator, programmer or quality assurance tester. Here's a rundown of a few careers for experienced pros in video game development.

Bachelor's degrees in game development
Although your portfolio and résumé may be the most important thing when seeking game design and development positions, a bachelor's degree is also a common requirement. Programs typically teach the basics of game art production software, animation rigging, problem solving and working with a team to achieve a shared goal.
Game designers
create the basic framework of a game, including the graphical look and feel, storyline, gameplay mechanics, native difficulty curve and reward structure. Learn more about how to become a game designer.
Game developers
guide the transformation of a game from design document into complete, playable experience, directing programmers and artists and balancing the various components
Software engineers
use a variety of computer languages to create applications (including games and other entertainment properties) and operating system software

Career Outlook for Video Game Development Majors

It can help you target your education to suit the demands of the job market if you keep your eye on the market's projected movements. Take a look at this quick summary of some relevant employment statistics for video game development graduates.

JOB TITLE
AVERAGE SALARY($)
EMPLOYMENT
PROJECTED JOB GROWTH(%)
Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$111,6201,406,87025.6%
Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers$82,370148,34013%
Special Effects Artists and Animators$84,78029,3404.2%
Graphic Designers$56,510215,9303%
Art Directors$109,60042,8900.9%
Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.

Financial aid and scholarships in video game development

Scholarships and grants specific to video game development students are somewhat scarce, but there are a few out there. For example, popular webcomic property Penny Arcade furnishes an annual $10,000 scholarship for students who have their sights set on the games industry. Check out these other financial aid programs for game development students.

Imagine Cup Games Competition
Applicant(s) must create a desktop or tablet game using Windows, a mobile game using Windows Phone, or a browser game using Windows Azure. Groups of no more than four students are allowed and applicant(s) must be at least 16 years old. Proposal document, software, and instructions are required. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$50,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

30-Apr

HB Design Scholarship
Applicant must be enrolling as a college junior or above majoring in graphic design and/or interactive/web design. FAFSA and minimum 3.0 GPA required. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$10,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

1-Mar

ESA Foundation Scholarship Program
Applicant must be a woman or minority student and U.S. citizen pursuing a degree in computer and video game arts. Must be a full-time high school senior or college student with a GPA of at least 2.75. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$3,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

1-Apr

Mark Beaumont Scholarship
Applicant must be a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior undergraduate or graduate student in the U.S. pursuing a degree specializing in the business of interactive entertainment. Some examples of majors include executive leadership, law, marketing, and business development in the video game industry. Minimum 3.3 GPA, two page letter, and two letters of recommendation required. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$2,500

APPLICATION DEADLINE

30-Jun

Source: Scholarship directory data is copyrighted material which is reproduced on this website by permission of CollegeXpress, a division of Carnegie Dartlet. Copyright © 2024 by CollegeXpress.
Scholarship Database

Professional organizations

(IGDA) provides members with pathways to skill growth and potential Kickstarter/Indiegogo crowdfunding support for their passion projects
(AIGA) offers professional development for pros at all levels, a library of tools and resources and numerous networking and development events
(AIAS) is a long-standing industry organization in which membership is limited to employees of its corporate members
Methodology

To be included in these rankings, all schools must meet the following initial criteria for the specific subject being ranked.

  1. Offer an undergraduate degree (either associate or bachelor’s) in that subject.
  2. Have awarded at least one degree or certificate in that subject in the most recent year of IPEDS data available.

Based on those criteria, we ranked all 2-year and 4-year schools in IPEDS that reported data for all of the following points. Ratings are calculated on a 10-point scale, using the weights specified.

  1. In-state undergraduate tuition & fees, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
  2. Graduation rate, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
  3. Accessibility, based on admissions rate, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
  4. Institutional spending, based on two equally weighted factors, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
    • Instructional and academic support expenses per full-time enrolled student
    • Instructional and academic support spending as a percentage of all expenses
  5. Student-to-faculty ratio, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
  6. Flexibility, based on the following factors, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
    • Percent of students enrolled fully or partly in distance education
    • Whether the school offers programs that can be completed entirely in the evenings and on weekends
    • Whether the school offers academic and career counseling
    • Whether the school offers job placement services for students who complete their programs
    • Whether the school offers any alternative tuition plans, such as a payment plan or guaranteed rate
  7. Size of program, based on how many of the degrees and certificates awarded in 2014-15 were in this particular subject, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
  8. Related subjects, based on the number of similar topics for programs in relevant CIP codes that are offered at any level, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015
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