Game programmer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a game programmer. Game programmers usually study computer science, computer engineering, or graphic design. 79% of game programmers hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 516 real game programmer resumes to see exactly what game programmer education sections show.

The most common colleges for game programmers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.

There are also many online game programmer courses to help get the education required to be a game programmer.

What education do you need to become a game programmer?

What degree do you need to be a game programmer?

The most common degree for game programmers is bachelor's degree, with 79% of game programmers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 10% and master's degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 79%

Master's, 10%

Associate, 8%

Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a game programmer?

You should major in computer science to become a game programmer. 48% of game programmers major in computer science. Other common majors for a game programmer include computer engineering and graphic design.

Computer Science, 48%

Computer Engineering, 10%

Graphic Design, 6%

Computer Applications, 4%

Other Majors, 32%

Most common colleges for game programmers

Game programmers often get their degrees at Full Sail University, DeVry University, and DigiPen Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for game programmers in the US based on their resumes.

Game programmer common college	Percentages
Full Sail University	25.00%
DeVry University	8.75%
DigiPen Institute of Technology	7.50%
University of California - Davis	6.25%
Rochester Institute of Technology	5.00%

Show more common game programmer colleges

Best majors for game programmers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	48.5%
2	Computer Engineering	9.6%
3	Graphic Design	6.2%
4	Computer Applications	3.8%
5	Information Systems	3.1%

Show more common game programmer majors

Best colleges for game programmers

The best colleges for game programmers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.

A game programmer 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 programmers. 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 programmers.

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 programmers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for game programmers

The most affordable schools for game programmers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and university of florida.

If the best universities for game programmers 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 programmers.

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 programmers

The hardest universities for game programmers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.

Some great schools for game programmers 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 programmers 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

SAT average

1,508

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

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

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

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 programmers

The easiest schools for game programmers 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 programmer 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 programmers.

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 programmer salary by education level

Game programmers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $105,143 annually. With a Master's degree, game programmers earn a median annual income of $102,215 compared to $97,597 for game programmers with an Bachelor's degree.

Game programmer education level	Game programmer salary
Master's Degree	$102,215
Bachelor's Degree	$97,597
Doctorate Degree	$105,143
Some College/ Associate Degree	$84,645

Game programmer education FAQs

What is the best college for Game Programmers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for game programmer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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