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Game developer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a game developer. Game developers usually study computer science, computer engineering, or graphic design. 75% of game developers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,206 real game developer resumes to see exactly what game developer education sections show.
The most common colleges for game developers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.
There are also many online game developer courses to help get the education required to be a game developer.
What education do you need to become a game developer?
What degree do you need to be a game developer?
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a game developer?
- Computer Science, 37%
- Computer Engineering, 10%
- Graphic Design, 10%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for game developers
| Game developer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 10.14% |
| University of California - Davis | 9.42% |
| University of Southern California | 7.97% |
| DeVry University | 7.25% |
| University of Washington | 6.52% |
Best majors for game developers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 36.6% |
| 2 | Computer Engineering | 10.0% |
| 3 | Graphic Design | 9.8% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 6.5% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 3.8% |
Best colleges for game developers
The best colleges for game developers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.
A game developer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for game developers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become game developers.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for game developers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for game developers
The most affordable schools for game developers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and university of florida.
If the best universities for game developers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for game developers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
8. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for game developers
The hardest universities for game developers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for game developers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for game developers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for game developers
The easiest schools for game developers to get into are Linfield College, la roche college, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a game developer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for game developers.
1. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
2. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
7. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
8. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
9. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
10. Baker University
Baldwin City, KS • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,126
Average game developer salary by education level
| Game developer education level | Game developer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $97,928 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $89,013 |
| Doctorate Degree | $107,042 |
Game developer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025