The best game design programs, ranked by the Princeton Review 2021

Even in these ridiculous times, video games are there to comfort, challenge, and inspire us. It takes a lot of work to make your favorite games, though, and a lot of smarts. It’s dangerous to go alone, as one famous adventure told us, and that’s where these game design programs come in.

So take a moment to think about what kind of game developer you’d like to be. Do you want to use your artistic flourish to design fascinating worlds and new characters? Do you want to manage the business of running a studio? Or do you want to get your hands dirty in the coding and programming that makes games run? Maybe you’re also looking to master your skill set with a graduate degree.

Every adventurer knows that the first steps can often be the most important. If you’re ready to take that leap, read on to find out where you should start your journey.

Want to know more? Check out The Princeton Review’s website for further information on game design programs: princetonreview.com/game-design 

The top 50 best game design undergraduate programs

1. University of Southern California

Total Courses: 277
2020 Grads Hired: 90%
2020 Grads Salary: $65,000
Faculty: Gary Schyman (Composer, BioShock series), Artem Kovalovs (Programmer, The Last of Us)
Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch)

2. Becker College

Total Courses: 125
2020 Grads Hired: 54%
2020 Grads Salary: $62,321
Faculty: Keo Heng (Senior Animator, Sony Computer Entertainment), Christina Alejandre (Director of Publishing & Esports, WB Entertainment)
Graduates: Lawrence Preston (Environment Artist, Sony Bend), Katelyn Anthony (QA Lead, Riot Games)

3. New York University

Total Courses: 564
2020 Grads Hired: 40%
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000
Faculty: Dr. Bennet Foddy (Getting Over It)
Graduates: Carol Mertz (Designer, Exploding Kittens), Robert Meyer (Designer, Just Cause)

4. Rochester Institute of Technology

5. DigiPen Institute of Technology
Graduates: Kim Swift (Portal, Google Stadia), Adam Brennecke (Pillars of Eternity)
2020 Grads Salary: $81,500

6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Faculty: Keith Zizza (sound designer, BioShock Infinite), Ed Gutierrez (Disney/Pixar)
Graduates: Alex Schwartz (Job Simulator), Michael Gesner (Riot Games)
2020 Grads Salary: $72,350

7. Michigan State University
Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes (concept artist, Blizzard Entertainment, Ubisoft), Elizabeth LaPensée (Indigenous game designer)
2020 Grads Hired: 81%
2020 Grads Salary: $58,000

8. University of Utah
Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, Nintendo), Nolan Bushnell (Founder, Atari)
2020 Grads Hired: 40%
2020 Grads Salary: $62,145

9. Bradley University
2020 Grads Salary: $63,683
2020 Grads Hired: 60%

10. Shawnee State University
2020 Grads Hired: 60%
2020 Grads Salary: $59,200

11. LaSalle College Vancouver
2020 Grads Hired: 69%
Graduates: Greg Findlay (Tomb Raider, Thief), David Larmour (Capcom)

12. Vancouver Film School
Faculty: Scott Henshaw (EA), Jeff Plamondon (Capcom Vancouver)
Graduates: Armando Troisi (Narrative Director, Ubisoft), Boris Wong (EA)

13. Drexel University
2020 Grads Hired: 50%
Graduates: Anna Nguyen (Injustice 2, I Expect You to Die), Glen Winters (Red Dead Redemption 2)

14. University of Central Florida
Fun Fact: One of 16 Microsoft Flagship Schools
Graduates: Richard Ugarte (Producer, Epic Games), Alex Madeville (Facebook Games)

15. Abertay University
2020 Grads Hired: 40%
Graduates: David Jones (creator of Grand Theft Auto), Timea Tabori (Engine Programmer, Rockstar Games)

16. Breda University of Applied Sciences
2020 Grads Hired: 60%
Graduates: Jendrik Illner (3D Programmer, Ubisoft), Nathalie Jankie (Level Designer, Remedy)

17. Champlain College
2020 Grads Hired: 77%
Faculty: Nathan Walpole (Character Animator, Halo, ESO), Christopher Cao (Character Artist, Bethesda)

18. Cogswell University of Silicon Valley
2020 Grads Salary: $62,000
Fun Fact: Recently added a program focusing on business, marketing, and production of games.

19. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
2020 Grads Salary: $68,400
Graduates: Zach Barth (ZachTronics), Curtis R. Priem (NVIDIA)

20. The University of Texas at Dallas
Graduates: Matt Charles (Gearbox Software), Ricardo Flores (Animator, Naughty Dog)
2020 Gender Breakdown: 50% Male, 50% Female

21. Hampshire College
2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
2020 Grads Hired: 60%

22. Savannah College of Art and Design
2020 Grads Salary: $43,667
Graduates: Chad Dezern (CCO, Insomniac), Harrison Pink (Quest Designer, Blizzard)

23. Laguna College of Art + Design
Graduates: Greg Baldwin (Character Artist, Insomniac), Nicole Tan (Level Architect, Arkane)

24. Howest University of Applied Sciences
2020 Grads Hired: 70%
Faculty: Tristan Clarysse (Artist, Larian, BioWare), Kevin Hoefman (Larian)

25. University of Wisconsin - Stout
2020 Grads Hired: 85%
Graduates: Mitchel Clayton (Environment Artist, Naughty Dog), Mic Rooney (Gameplay Programmer)

26. Maryland Institute College of Art
2020 Grads Salary: $64,000
2020 Grads Hired: 66%

27. Ferris State University
2020 Grads Hired: 80%
Fun Fact: Partners with Michigan non-profits to develop game projects.

28. Falmouth University
Graduates: Rex Crowle (Media Molecule), Sophie Shepherd (Animator, Creative Assembly)

29. Abilene Christian University
2020 Grads Salary: $70,000
2020 Grads Hired: 71%

30. Northeastern University
2020 Grads Salary: $49,402
Graduates: Alisa Bricker (User Researcher, Harmonix), Zhuo Chen (UI Design, Sony)

31. University of Cincinnati
2020 Grads Hired: 66%
Graduates: Evan Carroll (Animation Artist, Diablo II), Randy Pagulayan (Director of Research, Xbox)

32. New York Film Academy
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000
2020 Grads Hired: 70%

33. North Carolina State University
2020 Grads Salary: $75,000
Fun Fact: Largest provider of graduates to North Carolina games industry, which includes Epic Games, Ubisoft and more.

34. Bloomfield College
2020 Grads Salary: $50,000
Graduates: Josiah Hunt (Sony Santa Monica), Corey Delorenzo (Level Designer, Sony Santa Monica)

35. Miami University
Graduates: Chris Carney (Level Designer, Valorant), Stephanie Tsirlis (Producer, Riot)
2020 Grads Salary: $52,465

36. Indiana University
2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
Graduates: Kees Luyendijk (Game Designer, Nintendo), Jess Tompkins (User Researcher, EA)

37. Kennesaw State University
2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
2020 Grads Hired: 40%

38. New England Institute of Technology
Faculty: William C. Culbertson (R&D, Hasbro), Jim McClure (Environment Artist, Sony Online)
Total Courses: 57

39. University of Texas at Austin
Graduates: Richard Garriott (Ultima, Astronaut), Warren Spector (Thief, System Shock)
2020 Grads Salary: $59,000

40. University of Florida
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000
2020 Gender Breakdown: 50% Male, 48% Female

41. DePaul University
42. Oklahoma Christian University
43. Academy of Art University
44. Marist College
45. University of Michigan-Dearborn
46. Quinnipiac University
47. ArtCenter College of Design
48. Cornell University
49. Full Sail University
50. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The top 25 game design graduate programs

1. University of Central Florida

2020 Grads Hired: 87%
2020 Grads Salary: $73,000
Graduates: Dennis Brannvall (Design Director, EA DICE), Billy Bramer (Lead Programmer, Epic)
Faculty: Benjamin Noel (VP, COO, Electronic Arts Tiburon), Richard Hall (EA Sports)

2. New York University

2020 Grads Hired: 73%
2020 Grads Salary: $72,000
Faculty: Dr. Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It)
2020 Gender Breakdown: 55% Female, 39% Male

3. Southern Methodist University

2020 Grads Hired: 85%
2020 Grads Salary: $67,400
Graduates: Katie Sabin (Artist, Raven Software) Chris Cole (Technical Artist, Blizzard)
Faculty: Michael Porter (Art and Design, Sierra, Microsoft, Bungie), Elizabeth Stringer (Atari)

4. University of Southern California

2020 Grads Hired: 90%
2020 Grads Salary: $65,000
Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch)
Faculty: Richard Lemarchand (Game Designer, Uncharted 1-3), Artem Kovalovs 

5. Rochester Institute of Technology
2020 Grads Salary: $70,000
Graduates: Elan Lee (Exploding Kittens, Chief Design Officer of Xbox Entertainment), Alex Kipman (Kinect, Hololens)

6. University of Utah
2020 Grads Salary: $84,655
Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, Nintendo) John Warnock (Founder, Adobe)

7. Becker College
2020 Grads Salary: $70,000
Graduates: Matthew Hopkins (Technical Artist, Rockstar), Yuka Ninohara (UX, WB Games)

8. Abertay University
2020 Grads Hired: 65%
2020 Grads Salary: $68,000

9. DigiPen Institute of Technology
2020 Grads Salary: $78,000
Graduates: Luis Villegas (Engineering Lead, Destiny), Arturo Jauregui (Artist, Nintendo)

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
2020 Grads Hired: 63%
2020 Grads Salary: $72,350

11. Drexel University
2020 Grads Salary: $74,000
2020 Gender Breakdown: 75% Female, 25% Male

12. Michigan State University
2020 Grads Hired: 50%
Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes (Concept Artist, Blizzard), Jeremy Gibson Bond (Programmer/Designer, Maxis)

13. Breda University of Applied Sciences
2020 Grads Hired: 60%
2020 Grads Salary: $46,000

14. Laguna College of Art and Design
2020 Grads Salary: $54,000
Faculty: Dave Jaloza (Producer, Bandai Namco), Chris Ulm (Founder, Jam City)

15. The University of Texas at Dallas
2020 Grads Salary: $34,000
Graduates: Matt Charles (Producer, Gearbox Software), Ricardo Flores (Animator, Naughty Dog)

16. Savannah College of Art and Design
2020 Grads Hired: 48%
2020 Grads Salary: $60,679

17. American University
2020 Grads Salary: $80,000
Fun Fact: AU’s program pushes students to engage with games for change.

18. University of California—Santa Cruz
2020 Grads Hired: 75%
Faculty: Robin Hunicke (thatgamecompany, Funomena)

19. New York Film Academy
2020 Grads Hired: 71%
Graduates: Jon Webb (Director of Global Product Strategy, PlayStation), Tim Schafer (Double Fine)

20. Northeastern University
2020 Grads Hired: 73%
Total Courses: 63

21. Bradley University

22. University of Malta

23. Full Sail University

24. University of Wisconsin - Stout

25. DePaul University

Tips for getting into a great game design college

Make games already

Perhaps one of the best things any potential new student can do is demonstrate a proven interest in making games. Thankfully, no one has to be a master of the craft already to do so. If you’ve dabbled with Unity or another major engine, great, but schools also love to see students using Twine, Scratch, or even RPG Maker, much more accessible engines that still offer a ton of opportunity for self-expression.

“We’re looking for games that have something to say,” says Collin Kelly, a program coordinator at USC Games. “Making a Mario clone to show you understand Unity is fine, but we like games that capture who you are.”

A variety of interests

Go figure, schools like to know that new students will be bringing in a diverse array of lived experiences that can translate to game design, learning, and teamwork. That can come from unexpected places, too. Kelly uses an example of a high school student who produced speedruns of games and streamed them out to an audience.

“We looked at that applicant and immediately said ‘that’s a natural-born producer,’” Kelly says, noting the student’s ability to organize and see such a technical and community-focused project through to the end.

Some schools are really looking for collaborative spirits who can fill specific roles or even multiple.

“We build our classes kind of like we’re designing a studio,” says Dylan McKenzie, program coordinator and Incubator director at NYU’s Game Center. “So we need programmers, artists, project managers, and designers. So we want to see what you bring to the table because you’re working with all sizes of groups and all kinds of people. The more you bring to our group of developers, the more productive you’ll be and the more people will want to work with you as a team member. The rising tide of our abilities will raise all boats of the class.”

And even if you’re looking more towards grad school, or just getting to college later than usual, life experiences are invaluable material to pull from. Previous applicants to NYU’s Game Center have used their skills in architecture, fashion, or even baking a cake (and sending it to the school) to show how their creative side works.

Learn from failure, but complete your project

Almost anyone in the games industry will tell you that successful, fun games are often the result of countless attempts. Even games that seem perfectly designed at first glance may not look or feel that way until near the end of development. This principle -- of learning from failure, but also being able to ship a finished game, even a modest one -- is indicative of students that colleges love to welcome.

“Even more specifically than just making games, we love to see people making and completing games,” NYU’s McKenzie said. “The full loop of game design is challenging. If you’ve got design documents, illustrations, art, that’s great. If you’ve got a prototype, even if it’s just made of paper or the functions of the game are in code, and if you’ve published it on itch.io, then even better. You know what it’s like to build an audience and launch a game. The more that we can help you accelerate your practice and not just start, the better.”

“Getting into a great game design college requires passion, curiosity, and commitment. At Becker, we look for those traits first. That cognitive reckoning is what we’re trying to get people into. Getting a student to move from curiosity to passion and then a dedicated commitment shows us they’ve got a lifelong path in this,” says Ritacco.

Ultimately, these programs are (usually) part of an art school, and so colleges will want students who want to make the future of video games, McKenzie says. Anyone who has the heart to do something different and do it well will have greater odds at getting into their dream school and going on to create games that last in players’ minds for years to come.

How eSports is changing game design colleges

Imagine brightly lit arenas, flashy technology, and athletes pumped up to show off all their talent. Only it isn’t on a basketball court or football field. It’s eSports tournaments played on PCs and consoles, with everything from Smash Bros. to League of Legends. Colleges of all sizes have realized just how valuable the world of eSports can be for students and academic programs, offering up ways for students to form community bonds and learn valuable business skills and artistic principles in the process.

We spoke with some of the folks leading the charge in competitive collegiate eSports to ask them how its changed campus culture, and what it offers students. As you can imagine for a multi-million (soon to be billion) dollar industry, it’s quite a lot.

From the PC to the degree

“Esports is the hardest, newest, and most exciting thing to hit campuses since the internet. From varsity and club teams to the business of esports management, the opportunity has been clearly shown,” says Dr. Alan Ritacco, Dean of Becker College’s School of Design and Technology.

Esports, like traditional sports, is an entire ecosystem of career paths beyond just being a star athlete. Students also have the opportunity to learn business and team management principles, marketing strategies, and event planning. Becker College’s program also includes classes on esports industry trends and community development, something that will help students ensure they can adapt to the constantly evolving gaming landscape.

“You know what sports management is. You’re taking care of Tom Brady,” Ritacco says. “

“But it’s also business, continuity, change management, economics, IT, executive leadership. Now you go to the esports side and it’s taking care of [former League of Legends pro-turned-commentator] Crumbz.”

There can’t be any sports community without a little bit of sports journalism, and colleges like Becker and USC offer classes focused on content creation that forms the backbone of vibrant fanbases.

“What esports means for us is to ensure we’re getting students connected with companies that are at the forefront of technology and where we think the industry is going, and making sure we get input from them and update our curriculum for these students’ futures,” USC Trojan Esports Union faculty advisor Jim Huntley.

In a year where “community” means something very different for colleges, esports has been one of the few bright spots to keep students feeling close.

“It’s ironic,” Huntley says. “Our medium, from a professional perspective as well as an academic perspective, has been the one thriving because you can develop games and compete and socialize in the medium of games. Aside from the personal drain, our work hasn’t suffered.”

“There’s still so much going on with esports that I think is under-discovered,” says Dylan McKenzie, program coordinator at NYU’s Game Center. “Our role as a university is to help our students and the public make sense of this either through making new types of games that fit in that or you want to go into casting, YouTube, other stuff. We help you understand how to break it down in a nuanced way.”

Whether it’s from the bleachers or from behind a PC monitor, esports is almost certainly the future of collegiate competitions. The only question is: Are you ready to play?

Do your homework

Amnesia: Rebirth

Can “normal” mechanics undermine your vision?

Frictional Games, the makers of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, SOMA, and more recently Amnesia: Rebirth, definitely know their way around horror. But even professionals can fall victim to trophy game design mechanics, get a bit too comfortable, and undercut their own vision. How can you keep gruesome monsters still terrifying without taking your player out of the experience when they get caught?

Example: Frictional Games learned from their earliest titles that forcing a player to replay a level after dying only served to reduce the horror and increase the frustration a player might feel. Since Rebirth still incorporated a “fear” system that encourages players to avoid darkness and monsters, they tied that into what happens when a player fails. If the player is taken down by an enemy, the main character experiences an onslaught of cryptic visions, then awakens in a different spot. Failure also impacts the main character’s health, impacting their journey in meaningful ways that an invested player will take care to avoid.

Homework: If you’re making a game that tells a story or sends a message, consider how the gameplay mechanics we’ve taken for granted might impact that narrative. Part of being a game designer is thinking outside the box, even in a game that might already follow an established formula in many ways. It might turn a gimmick you tossed in into something much more meaningful in the end.

Read: https://bit.ly/2M7d8VE

The Pathless

Hitting the mark like a pro

Archery and video games go together like peanut butter and chocolate, and plenty of video game protagonists are supposedly perfect shots. But if we’re supposed to be heroes, why do games let us whiff so many shots and stumble while aiming, and is there a better way?

Example: When Giant Squid made 2020’s The Pathless, they knew they wanted their protagonist to come across as a fast-paced master archer, able to bound across huge landscapes with the inertia of her bow. But they needed a way to make players believe that fantasy. At first, they came up with the maxim “never miss a shot,” but pulled back a little when that got too dull. Rather than focus on aiming, Giant Squid determined that timing your shots (with a generous window) would be the key to traversal. The player needed to be able to miss, but Giant Squid wouldn’t make that the default result. The end result was a simple, yet satisfying rhythm to archery that sacrificed none of the thrill of landing a shot while speeding along.

Homework: Much like the previous example, consider how “standard” game mechanics that have been around for ages might break the immersion a player needs to feel invested in the world you’ve created. If you tell a player one thing, but punish them for being something they’re not in real life (in this case, an incredibly gifted archer), then they might not want to spend time engaging with your world. Don’t be afraid to pull away from old ideas even if it means dramatically simplifying something.

Read: https://bit.ly/38YLpPY