2025 Best Colleges for Video Game Design

February 27, 2025

best colleges for video game design

Getting paid to design the next Fortnight or Overwatch may sound like a fanciful dream to obsessed young gamers. Yet, for those with the programming and design acumen, it can very much be a reality. Video game design programs are popping up at additional universities every year as the $130 billion gaming industry clamors for fresh talent. While earning a degree in video game design, you鈥檒l take courses in animation, sound, 3D modeling and graphics, computer science, and programming. Given that this is a very new field, you鈥檒l want to make sure that your prospective institution has a strong faculty, opportunities for hands-on learning, and top labs/facilities loaded with the latest technologies. The schools that are included on this list of the best video game design colleges all meet and even exceed these criteria.

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Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Video Game Design.

Best Colleges for Video Game Design

Here鈥檚 a quick preview of the first video game design institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats for these and other programs can be found when you scroll below.

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All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of video game design and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best video game design colleges, 国产第一福利影院草草 will provide you with鈥攚hen available鈥攖he university鈥檚:

  • Enrollment
  • Cost of Attendance
  • Acceptance Rate
  • 惭别诲颈补苍听
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  • Retention Rate
  • Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college鈥檚:

  • Academic Highlights 鈥 Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
  • Professional Outcomes 鈥 Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

After reviewing our list of best Video Game Design programs below, feel free to check out our rankings of other computing and tech-related programs:

 

#1 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University

  • Pittsburgh, PA

Academic Highlights: Impressively, particularly for a school with more graduate students than undergrads, CMU boasts a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes, with roughly one-third containing single digits and 68% having an enrollment of nineteen or fewer. In a given school year, 800+ undergraduates conduct research through the University Research Office, and many others participated through various outside arrangements. Between 500-600 students study abroad for a semester each year in such countries as Japan, China, and Germany.

Professional Outcomes: By the end of the calendar year in which they received their diplomas, 74% of recent grads were employed, and 17% were continuing to graduate school. The companies that have routinely scooped up CMU grads include Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, TikTok, and NVIDIA. With an average starting salary of $124,107, CMU grads outpace the average starting salary for a college grad nationally.

  • Enrollment: 7,289
  • Cost of Attendance: $83,697
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#2 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Atlanta, GA

Academic Highlights: Being a large research university, the student-to-faculty ratio is a less-than-ideal 18:1, leading to some larger undergraduate class sections. In fact, 51% of courses had enrollments of more than thirty students in 2023. On the other end of the spectrum, 9% of sections had single-digit enrollments. While not all of your professors will know you by name, there are plenty of ways that motivated students can strike up meaningful faculty-student relationships, with nearly 50% collaborating on research with professors at some point during their undergraduate career. Fifty-two percent of Tech students have gone abroad by the time they graduate, with a growing number electing to complete internships in a foreign land rather than academic coursework. In a given year, 130+ undergraduate students participate in a global internship.

Professional Outcomes: More than three-quarters of recent grads had already procured employment by the time they were handed their diplomas. You will find graduates at every major technology company in the world. Recent employers include Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Capital One, and Apple. The median salary of the Class of 2023 was $84,000, with recent grads settling mostly in the Atlanta metro area. The next three most popular destinations are San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, DC.

  • Enrollment: 19,505
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,524 (In-State); $49,636 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1450
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 16%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#3 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Purdue University 鈥 West Lafayette

Purdue University 鈥 West Lafayette

  • West Lafayette, IN

Academic Highlights: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 37% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Undergraduates conduct more than 2,000 research projects per year; they can connect with professors during the academic year or apply to participate in a Summer Research Fellowship. Discipline-specific research programs, a research pitch competition, research conferences & symposiums, and publishing opportunities abound. 1,300 students per year elect to study abroad at one of 400 programs in 50 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 65% of 2023 grads headed to the world of employment while 25% headed to graduate/professional school. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Eli Lilly & Company, Amazon, Deloitte, JP Morgan Chase, PepsiCo, and Cummins, Inc. The average starting salary was $71k across all degree programs. The majority of alumni remain in Indiana with Illinois, California, Texas, New York, and Wisconsin rounding out the five next most common destinations.

  • Enrollment: 39,864
  • Cost of Attendance: $24,882 (In-State); $43,434 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1320
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 50%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 83%

#4 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology

  • Rochester, NY

Academic Highlights: There are eleven undergraduate colleges and schools at RIT, and the co-op program is the fourth oldest in the country; most students complete a one- or two-semester paid learning experience. RIT鈥檚 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a genuine commitment to undergraduate teaching lead to a respectable 46% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students, and only 5% of courses contain more than 50 students. Additionally, RIT provides an array of undergraduate research opportunities including the the 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates program, and聽the Undergraduate Research Symposium that sees 150+ students give presentations in a given academic year. 600+ opportunities exist to study, work, or research abroad, and RIT has four campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 93% of grads had found employment or a full-time graduate program. Major companies presently employing more than 500 RIT alums include Microsoft and Paychex. Between 200 and 500 employees of Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, and Intel were educated at RIT. The average starting salary was $75,600, which is $12,ooo more than the national average. Class of 2023 grads pursued further education at universities including Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.

  • Enrollment: 14,076
  • Cost of Attendance: $75,332
  • Median SAT: 1370
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 71%
  • Retention Rate: 88%
  • Graduation Rate: 73%

#5 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
University of Southern California

University of Southern California

  • Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: Aided by a favorable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities. Each school/college has a course entitled Directed Research 490 in which students work closely with a faculty supervisor and earn between two and eight credits, countless other opportunities exist to get one鈥檚 hands dirty in academic research. Each department has its own slate of study abroad offerings and Maymester programs, which are short-term intensive courses held stateside and abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The median salary across all majors is an astounding $85k. Presently, between 500 and 2,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, and Oracle. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2023 USC grads include Columbia, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Harvard, with most remaining at USC for their advanced studies.

  • Enrollment: 21,023
  • Cost of Attendance: $90,453
  • Median SAT: 1510
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 10%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#6 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  • Troy, NY

Academic Highlights: Students will encounter various class sizes over the course of their four years of study. A solid 43% of sections contain fewer than 20 students; 21% will have 50 or more students. Being a research institution, RPI attracts $103 million in research funding each year, meaning that the school鈥檚 470+ faculty members are constantly in the middle of projects that require student assistance. Students can participate during the academic year for credit or pay, or during the summer when select individuals receive $5,000 to work full-time in a lab. International study is also encouraged at one of 20+ school-affiliated or exchange programs in multiple countries, including Italy, Finland, and Singapore.

Professional Outcomes: As they receive their diplomas, 56% of RPI grads have already landed a job and 33% have committed to a graduate school. The largest numbers of grads were hired by companies that included Boeing, Amazon, Regeneron, Lockheed Martin, Epic, and Cigna. Information technology alumni had the highest salary range, earning between $80k – $130k. Grad school destinations included Columbia, the University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, and Cornell, with most Engineers choosing to continue their studies at RPI.

  • Enrollment: 5,954
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,404
  • Median SAT: 1410
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 58%
  • Retention Rate: 89%
  • Graduation Rate: 83%

#7 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Northeastern University

Northeastern University

  • Boston, MA

Academic Highlights: Northeastern offers 130 majors and 199 combined majors within nine colleges and programs. Nearly two-thirds of Husky classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students, and 13% have single-digit enrollments. Large lecture hall courses crammed with undergrads are rare at this school鈥攐nly 7% of sections sport a student enrollment of fifty or more. Since 2006, Northeastern has added an incredible 650+ tenured and tenure-track faculty members. Undergraduate research opportunities exist in all departments, and experiential learning of some type is had by virtually all graduates, thanks to the school鈥檚 illustrious and robust co-op program.聽In a given year, 3,700+ students have a global experience in one of 65+ countries, and 250+ students participate in a co-op program overseas.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after leaving Northeastern, 97% of students have landed at their next employment or graduate school destination. Huskies entering the job market are quickly rounded up by the likes of Amazon, Fidelity Investments, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, all of whom employ 500+ Northeastern alums. Between 200 and 500 employees at Meta, CVS Health, Goldman Sachs, and Tesla have an NU lineage. Starting salaries are above average (70% make more than $70k), in part due to the stellar co-op program.

  • Enrollment: 15,891
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,731
  • Median SAT: 1500
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 90%

#8 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
New York University

New York University

  • New York, NY

Academic Highlights: NYU is divided into a number of smaller (but still quite large) colleges organized by discipline; in sum, there are 270 areas of undergraduate study across nine schools and colleges. For its size, a commendable 59% of classes have an enrollment under 20 students. The school puts a great deal of money into undergraduate research, and it has been running an Undergraduate Research Conference for over forty years. Summer research opportunities are plentiful, including through the School of Engineering鈥檚 ten-week summer research program for rising juniors and seniors. With more than 4,000 students studying in foreign countries each year, NYU sends more undergrads abroad than any other US university.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting, 94% of Class of 2023 grads had landed at their next destination, with 71% employed and 26% in graduate school. Large numbers of alumni can be found at Google, Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Meta, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs. The mean starting salary is $76,011. New York is (by more than ten times) the most popular destination over number two choice California. New Jersey, Texas, and Massachusetts were next in attracting the highest numbers of recent alumni.

  • Enrollment: 29,760
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,752
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 12%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#9 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Drexel University

Drexel University

  • Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights: There are over 100 undergraduate majors to choose from at Drexel.聽 The university offers a reasonable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio with commensurately reasonable class sizes. Fifty-one percent of sections contain 19 or fewer students, and just 9% of sections contain 50 or more. Drexel students are encouraged to begin seeking undergraduate research opportunities 鈥渁s early as the freshman year.鈥 An array of research-oriented co-ops exist at local hospitals, museums, and pharmaceutical companies as well. With the emphasis on co-op education, it can be difficult to carve out time to study abroad while at Drexel. In a typical year, roughly 900 students manage to study internationally at one of 60 locations. Co-ops in foreign countries are another way to access the benefits of this type of experience.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 97% of Dragons have arrived at their next destination; 94% of full-time graduates were satisfied with their position and 87% were working in professions related to their field of study. The largest employers of Drexel alumni are Children’s Hospital of Philadephia, Penn Medicine, Comcast, Lockheed Martin, and Vanguard. The average salary for Drexel grads with a full-time job was $68,650.

  • Enrollment: 13,589
  • Cost of Attendance: $81,413
  • Median SAT: 1330
  • Median ACT: 30
  • Acceptance Rate: 78%
  • Retention Rate: 90%
  • Graduation Rate: 77%

#10 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah College of Art and Design

  • Savannah, GA

Academic Highlights:聽Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) stands as America’s most comprehensive arts university, offering over 40 programs across 11 specialized schools鈥攎ore degree options than any peer institution. While maintaining an accessible 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio, SCAD ensures quality through its accomplished faculty (76% holding terminal degrees) and intimate class sizes (56% under 20 students). This global creative community brings together students from all 50 states and 120+ countries, united under SCAD’s mission as “The University for Creative Careers.”

Professional Outcomes: SCAD’s career outcomes are nothing short of extraordinary: 98% of graduates secure employment or continue education within ten months, with 90% working in their field of study. Alumni lead creative innovation at industry giants like Disney Imagineering, Epic Games, and Microsoft, while entrepreneurial graduates build successful independent practices. The financial returns validate SCAD’s professional outcomes鈥攅arly median earnings of $61,000 launch careers and grow to $103,400 at mid-career, proving that creative careers can yield both professional fulfillment and financial success.

  • Enrollment: 14,657
  • Cost of Attendance: $64,337
  • Median SAT: 1170
  • Median ACT: 24
  • Acceptance Rate: 84%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 70%

#11 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
University of Utah

University of Utah

  • Salt Lake City, UT

Academic Highlights: The university鈥檚 18 colleges and schools house 100+ undergraduate programs. Forty-four percent of courses enroll 19 students or fewer, while 19% are on the larger side, enrolling 50 or more students. Those seeking more personalized mentorship can pursue opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research, which connects with over 3,600 students in person and another 4,200+ via its virtual Education Series. Those who wish to study abroad can access over 50 programs in 26 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 71% of recent grads planned to enter full-time employment, while 25% jumped directly into an advanced degree program. Employers hiring the greatest number of Utes include Intermountain Healthcare, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Adobe, Microsoft, Google, and Lucid Software. The average starting salary is $55,714, and the median is $52,000.

  • Enrollment: 26,827
  • Cost of Attendance: $30,613 (In-State); $51,135 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1280
  • Median ACT: 25
  • Acceptance Rate: 87%
  • Retention Rate: 85%
  • Graduation Rate: 64%

#12 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  • Worcester, MA

Academic Highlights: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) offers a hands-on and innovative project-based curriculum; all students complete a minimum of two long-term research projects that are focused on solving real-world problems. A staggering 53% of its classes enroll fewer than ten students. All students complete a minimum of two long-term research projects focused on solving real-world problems. Many undergrads travel to one of 50+ project centers situated on six continents where they can engage in solving real-life problems. Beginning with the Class of 2022, the school began awarding every single student $5,000 in study abroad funding; 84% of students took advantage last year.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 89% of 2023 grads landed jobs or enrolled full-time in graduate school. Recent grads found jobs at top companies including RTX, The MITRE Corporation, Collins Aerospace, and National Grid. Hundreds of WPI alumni are employed at Pratt & Whitney, National Grid, Dell, Google, Microsoft, Boston Scientific, and Fidelity Investments. The average starting salary is over $81k and is one of the highest in the country. Almost one-quarter of grads elect to pursue an advanced degree immediately after graduation, enrolling at institutions that recently included Northeastern University, Boston University, and Brandeis.

  • Enrollment: 5,453
  • Cost of Attendance: $79,542
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 58%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#13 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
George Mason University

George Mason University

  • Fairfax, VA

Academic Highlights: Mason aims to make every one of its graduates an 鈥渆ngaged citizen and well-rounded scholar who is prepared to act.鈥 Toward that goal, it requires a journey through the 鈥淢ason Core,鈥 a forty-three-credit collection of foundation, exploration, and integration requirements. Thirty-two percent of sections enroll nineteen or fewer students, 14% have fifty or more students, and the remaining sections lie in between. More intimate educational experiences can be sought in the form of undergraduate research, which roughly half of all students ultimately engage in some form. There are plenty of summer research opportunities, but you can also take courses designated as Discovery of Scholarship, Scholarly Inquiry, or Research & Scholarship Intensive that offer built-in supervised research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after receiving their degrees, 87% of the class of 2023 had accepted a job offer or started work in a graduate program. GMU grads flow into major consulting firms like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, and Accenture, as well as Capital One, Goldman Sachs, General Dynamics, IBM, and Microsoft. Mason graduates earn a median salary of $74,000, with 83% of grads employed in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.

  • Enrollment: 27,666
  • Cost of Attendance: $33,748 (In-State); $59,330 (Out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1240
  • Median ACT: 28
  • Acceptance Rate: 89%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 69%

#14 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
DigiPen Institute of Technology

DigiPen Institute of Technology

  • Redmond, WA

Academic Highlights: DigiPen offers eight undergraduate degrees in five areas: computer science, digital art and animation, engineering, game design and development, and music and audio. Seven minors are also available in fields such as English, art, and psychology. The curriculum is highly project-based and hands-on. The game design program is particularly strong; other standout offerings include engineering, simulation, and animation production. Students benefit from an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 19 students.

Professional Outcomes: Post-graduation, 68% of students鈥攁cross all majors鈥攁re employed in the field that their degree specifically prepared them for. Alumni have gone on to work for over 1,750 corporations and small businesses, and clusters can be found at Amazon, Microsoft, Bungie, Nintendo, and Epic Games. In addition, alumni have been credited on 2,000+ professional games as artists, designers, and programmers. Ten years post-grad, they also enjoy the highest median earnings among those who attended a Washington State college or university.

 

  • Enrollment: 1,042
  • Cost of Attendance: $59,292
  • Median SAT: 1270
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 68%
  • Retention Rate: 73%
  • Graduation Rate: 52%

#15 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
DePaul University

DePaul University

  • Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights:聽There are more than 130 undergraduate majors at the nation’s largest Catholic research university. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1 and 38% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students. Special study abroad initiatives like FY@broad cater to first-year students, while Identities Abroad programs focus on diversity and inclusion, providing scholarships to support underrepresented students. The university rates well in the areas of overall value and facilitating social mobility.

Professional Outcomes:聽90% of recent graduates found their next positive step in life within six months of being awarded their diploma. 78% were employed earning a modest median salary of $45,000. Sample employers included JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Discover, AbbVie, Amazon, and United Airways, as well as a number of nonprofit entities. Less than 10% of DePaul graduates directly enter graduate or professional school right after completing their undergraduate education.

  • Enrollment: 14,374
  • Cost of Attendance: $66,798
  • Median SAT: 1230
  • Median ACT: 28
  • Acceptance Rate: 74%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 70%

#16 Best Colleges for Video Game Design
Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago

  • Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights: Columbia College Chicago offers students a dynamic, creative education through 60+ undergraduate and graduate programs across eight specialized schools. With a focused 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of 18, 59% of courses maintain an intimate setting of 19 or fewer students. This personalized learning environment brings together aspiring artists and media professionals from all 50 states and 60+ countries, while global perspectives are enriched through study abroad programs in 20+ nations.

Professional Outcomes: Columbia graduates achieve exceptional career success, with 96% employed within one year. Alumni lead at creative powerhouses including NBCUniversal, Live Nation Entertainment, and United Airlines, while many build thriving independent careers. The college’s strong industry connections are reflected in average salaries exceeding $50,000, with three-quarters of graduates shaping creative economies in Chicago, Los Angeles, and the New York metro area, demonstrating Columbia’s nationwide impact as a talent pipeline for the creative professions.

  • Enrollment: 6,344
  • Cost of Attendance: $54,288
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 91%
  • Retention Rate: 64%
  • Graduation Rate: 48%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Video Game Design to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including: