THE BEST SCHOOLS FOR ASPIRING GAME DEVELOPERS
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THE BEST SCHOOLS
FOR ASPIRING
GAME DEVELOPERS
THE BEST GAME Whether you’re taking your first
steps or refining your skills, there’s
DESIGN PROGRAMS, a game design program for
anyone. Check out the 50 best
RANKED BY THE undergraduate and 25 best
PRINCETON REVIEW. graduate programs out there.
Even in these ridiculous times, video games you want to use your artistic flourish to
are there to comfort, challenge, and inspire design fascinating worlds and new
us. It takes a lot of work to make your characters? Do you want to manage the
favorite games, though, and a lot of business of running a studio? Or do you
smarts. It’s dangerous to go alone, as one want to get your hands dirty in the coding
awaiting new image famous adventure told us, and that’s where
these game design programs come in.
and programming that makes games run?
Maybe you’re also looking to master your
& cut out The Princeton Review has done all the
heavy lifting of researching the absolute
skill set with a graduate degree.
Every adventurer knows that the first
best game design programs across North steps can often be the most important.
America and Europe. Whether it’s the best If you’re ready to take that leap, read
teachers, the most prestigious graduates, on to find out where you should start
the best facilities, or the highest average your journey.
salary, you’ll find a great school for you. Want to know more? Check out The
So take a moment to think about what Princeton Review’s website for further info:
kind of game developer you’d like to be. Do www.princetonreview.com/game-design
THE TOP 50
BEST GAME DESIGN
20
21
20
21
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
5. DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF 14. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL
TECHNOLOGY FLORIDA
Graduates: Kim Swift (Portal, Google Fun Fact: One of 16 Microsoft
Stadia), Adam Brennecke (Pillars of Flagship Schools
Eternity) Graduates: Richard Ugarte
2020 Grads Salary: $81,500 (Producer, Epic Games), Alex
Madeville (Facebook Games)
6. WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC
INSTITUTE 15. ABERTAY UNIVERSITY
Faculty: Keith Zizza (sound designer, 2020 Grads Hired: 40%
BioShock Infinite), Ed Gutierrez
Graduates: David Jones (creator of
(Disney/Pixar)
1 UOFCALIFORNIA
Grand Theft Auto), Timea Tabori
NIVERSITY
2 BCOLLEGE
Graduates: Alex Schwartz (Job
ECKER
(Engine Programmer, Rockstar
Simulator), Michael Gesner (Riot
SOUTHERN Games)
Games)
16. BREDA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED
7. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
SCIENCES
Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes (concept
2020 Grads Hired: 60%
Total Courses: 277 Total Courses: 125 artist, Blizzard Entertainment,
2020 Grads Hired: 90% 2020 Grads Hired: 54% Ubisoft), Elizabeth LaPensée Graduates: Jendrik Illner (3D
2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 2020 Grads Salary: $62,321 (Indigenous game designer) Programmer, Ubisoft), Nathalie
Faculty: Gary Schyman (Composer, Faculty: Keo Heng (Senior Animator, 2020 Grads Hired: 81% Jankie (Level Designer, Remedy)
BioShock series), Artem Kovalovs Sony Computer Entertainment),
(Programmer, The Last of Us) Christina Alejandre (Director of 8. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 17. CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE
Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black Publishing & Esports, WB Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, 2020 Grads Hired: 77%
Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch) Entertainment) Nintendo), Nolan Bushnell (Founder, Faculty: Nathan Walpole (Character
Graduates: Lawrence Preston Atari) Animator, Halo, ESO), Christopher
(Environment Artist, Sony Bend), Katelyn 2020 Grads Hired: 40% Cao (Character Artist, Bethesda)
Anthony (QA Lead, Riot Games)
9. BRADLEY UNIVERSITY 18. COGSWELL UNIVERSITY OF
2020 Grads Salary: $63,683 SILICON VALLEY
2020 Grads Hired: 60% 2020 Grads Salary: $62,000
Fun Fact: Recently added a program
10. SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY focusing on business, marketing, and
2020 Grads Hired: 60% production of games.
2020 Grads Salary: $59,200
19. RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC
11. LASALLE COLLEGE VANCOUVER
INSTITUTE
2020 Grads Hired: 69%
2020 Grads Salary: 68,400
Graduates: Greg Findlay (Tomb
Graduates: Zach Barth
Raider, Thief), David Larmour
4
(ZachTronics), Curtis R. Priem
R OCHESTER
3
(Capcom)
N EW YORK INSTITUTE OF
(NVIDIA)
UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
12. VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL
Faculty: Scott Henshaw (EA), Jeff
20. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT
DALLAS
Plamondon (Capcom Vancouver)
Graduates: Armando Troisi Graduates: Matt Charles (Gearbox
Total Courses: 564 Total Courses: 133 (Narrative Director, Ubisoft), Boris Software), Ricardo Flores (Animator,
2020 Grads Hired: 40% 2020 Grads Hired: 90% Wong (EA) Naughty Dog)
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000 2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 2020 Gender Breakdown: 50%
Faculty: Dr. Bennet Foddy Graduates: Elan Lee (Exploding Kittens), 13. DREXEL UNIVERSITY Male, 50% Female
(Getting Over It) Alex Kipman (Microsoft Hololens and 2020 Grads Hired: 50%
Graduates: Carol Mertz (Designer, Kinect) Graduates: Anna Nguyen (Injustice 21. HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE
Exploding Kittens), Robert Meyer Fun Fact: Recently launched a new 2, I Expect You to Die), Glen Winters 2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
(Designer, Just Cause)including Ape Out Geogames Lab in partnership with (Red Dead Redemption 2) 2020 Grads Hired: 60%
and others. Pokémon Go creator Niantic Game
TOP 50 GAME DESIGN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS (CONT)
22. SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND 2020 Grads Salary: $75,000
DESIGN Fun Fact: Largest provider of
2020 Grads Salary: $43,667 graduates to North Carolina games
Graduates: Chad Dezern (CCO, industry, which includes Epic Games,
Insomniac), Harrison Pink (Quest Ubisoft and more.
Designer, Blizzard)
34. BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE
23. LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART +
2020 Grads Salary: $50,000
DESIGN
Graduates: Greg Baldwin (Character Graduates: Josiah Hunt (Sony Santa
Artist, Insomniac), Nicole Tan (Level
Architect, Arkane)
Monica), Corey Delorenzo (Level
Designer, Sony Santa Monica)
HOMEWORK:
24. HOWEST UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED 35. MIAMI UNIVERSITY Amnesia: Rebirth
SCIENCES
2020 Grads Hired: 70%
Graduates: Chris Carney (Level
Designer, Valorant), Stephanie Tsirlis Can “normal” mechanics
undermine your vision?
Faculty: Tristan Clarysse (Artist, (Producer, Riot)
Larian, BioWare), Kevin Hoefman
2020 Grads Salary: $52,465
(Larian)
25. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN -
36. INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Frictional Games, the makers of Amnesia:
2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
STOUT
Graduates: Kees Luyendijk (Game
The Dark Descent, SOMA, and more
2020 Grads Hired: 85%
Graduates: Mitchel Clayton Designer, Nintendo), Jess Tompkins recently Amnesia: Rebirth, definitely
(Environment Artist, Naughty Dog), (User Researcher, EA) know their way around horror. But even
Mic Rooney (Gameplay Programmer) professionals can fall victim to tropey
26. MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE
37. KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
game design mechanics, get a bit too
2020 Grads Salary: $60,000
OF ART 2020 Grads Hired: 40%
comfortable, and undercut their own
2020 Grads Salary: $64,000 vision. How can you keep gruesome
2020 Grads Hired: 66%
38. NEW ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF monsters still terrifying without taking
27. FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
TECHNOLOGY your player out of the experience when
Faculty: William C. Culbertson (R&D,
2020 Grads Hired: 80%
Hasbro), Jim McClure (Environment
they get caught?
Fun Fact: Partners with Michigan
non-profits to develop game projects. Artist, Sony Online)
Total Courses: 57 EXAMPLE: Frictional Games learned from their
28. FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY earliest titles that forcing a player to replay a level after
Graduates: Rex Crowle (Media 39. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN dying only served to reduce the horror and increase the
Molecule), Sophie Shepherd Graduates: Richard Garriott (Ultima, frustration a player might feel. Since Rebirth still
(Animator, Creative Assembly) Astronaut), Warren Spector (Thief, incorporated a “fear” system that encourages players to
System Shock) avoid darkness and monsters, they tied that into what
29. ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
2020 Grads Salary: $59,000
2020 Grads Salary: 70,000 happens when a player fails. If the player is taken down
2020 Grads Hired: 71% by an enemy, the main character experiences an
40. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000
onslaught of cryptic visions, then awakens in a different
30. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
2020 Gender Breakdown: 50% Male, spot. Failure also impacts the main character’s health,
2020 Grads Salary: $49,402
Graduates: Alisa Bricker (User 48% Female impacting their journey in meaningful ways that an
Researcher, Harmonix), Zhuo Chen (UI invested player will take care to avoid.
Design, Sony) 41. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
42. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN HOMEWORK: If you’re making a game that tells a
31. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI UNIVERSITY story or sends a message, consider how the gameplay
2020 Grads Hired: 66% 43. ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY
Graduates: Evan Carroll (Animation
mechanics we’ve taken for granted might impact that
44. MARIST COLLEGE
Artist, Diablo II), Randy Pagulayan narrative. Part of being a game designer is thinking
45. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-
(Director of Research, Xbox) outside the box, even in a game that might already
DEARBORN
46. QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
follow an established formula in many ways. It might
32. NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY
47. ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN turn a gimmick you tossed in into something much more
2020 Grads Salary: $55,000
2020 Grads Hired: 70% 48. CORNELL UNIVERSITY meaningful in the end.
49. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
33. NORTH CAROLINA STATE 50. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF READING MATERIAL: https://bit.ly/ 2M7d8VE
UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
TIPS FOR GET TING
INTO A GREAT GAME
DESIGN COLLEGE
20
21
If you’re on your way to graduating high school, or just looking for a new
start in education, odds are that imposter syndrome is hitting you hard.
Even the brightest and most accomplished students wonder if they’ve got
what it takes to get into a great school. You’re in good hands, though. We
talked with leaders at some of the biggest game design colleges about
what they want to see from applicants.
MAKE GAMES ALREADY student who produced speedruns of
Perhaps one of the best things any potential games and streamed them out to an
new student can do is demonstrate a audience. Almost anyone in the games industry
proven interest in making games. “We looked at that applicant and will tell you that successful, fun games are
Thankfully, no one has to be a master of the immediately said ‘that’s a natural-born often the result of countless attempts.
craft already to do so. If you’ve dabbled with producer,’” Kelly says, noting the student’s Even games that seem perfectly designed
Unity or another major engine, great, but ability to organize and see such a technical at first glance may not look or feel that way
schools also love to see students using and community-focused project through to until near the end of development. This
Twine, Scratch, or even RPG Maker, much the end. principle -- of learning from failure, but also
more accessible engines that still offer a ton Some schools are really looking for being able to ship a finished game, even a
of opportunity for self-expression. collaborative spirits who can fill specific modest one -- is indicative of students that
“We’re looking for games that have roles, or even multiple. colleges love to welcome.
something to say,” says Collin Kelly, a “We build our classes kind of like we’re “Even more specifically than just
program coordinator at USC Games. designing a studio,” says Dylan McKenzie, making games, we love to see people
“Making a Mario clone to show you program coordinator and Incubator making and completing games,” NYU’s
understand Unity is fine, but we like games director at NYU’s Game Center. “So we McKenzie said. “The full loop of game
that capture who you are.” need programmers, artists, project design is challenging. If you’ve got design
managers, and designers. So we want to documents, illustrations, art, that’s great. If
A VARIETY OF INTERESTS see what you bring to the table because you’ve got a prototype, even if it’s just made
Go figure, schools like to know that new you’re working with all sizes of groups and of paper, or the functions of the game are in
students will be bringing in a diverse array all kinds of people. The more you bring to code, and if you’ve published it on itch.io,
of lived experiences that can translate to our group of developers, the more then even better. You know what it’s like to
game design, learning, and teamwork. That productive you’ll be and the more people build an audience and launch a game. The
can come from unexpected places, too. will want to work with you as a team more that we can help you accelerate your
Kelly uses an example of a high school member. The rising tide of our abilities will practice and not just start, the better.”
raise all boats of the class.” “Getting into a great game design
And even if you’re looking more towards college requires passion, curiosity, and
grad school, or just getting to college later commitment. At Becker, we look for those
than usual, life experiences are invaluable traits first. That cognitive reckoning is what
material to pull from. Previous applicants to we’re trying to get people into. Getting a
NYU’s Game Center have used their skills student to move from curiosity to passion
in architecture, fashion, or even baking a and then a dedicated commitment shows
cake (and sending it to the school) to show us they’ve got a lifelong path in this,” says
how their creative side works. Ritacco.
Ultimately, these programs are (usually)
LEARN FROM FAILURE, BUT part of an art school, and so colleges will
COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT want students who want to make the future
“I want my students to be centered and of video games, McKenzie says. Anyone
confident,” says Dr. Alan Ritacco, Dean who has the heart to do something
of Becker College’s School of Design different and do it well will have greater
and Technology. “If you fail quick, you odds at getting into their dream school and
can iterate faster. No one has ever won going on to create games that last in
all the time.” players’ minds for years to come.
THE TOP 25
BEST GAME DESIGN 20
21
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
5. ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF 14. LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART
TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
2020 Grads Salary: $70,000 2020 Grads Salary: $54,000
Graduates: Elan Lee (Exploding Faculty: Dave Jaloza (Producer,
Kittens, Chief Design Officer of Xbox
Bandai Namco), Chris Ulm (Founder,
Entertainment), Alex Kipman (Kinect,
Jam City)
Hololens)
15. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
6. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
2020 Grads Salary: $84,655
AT DALLAS
Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, 2020 Grads Salary: $34,000
1 U NIVERSITY OF
2 NEW YORK Nintendo) John Warnock (Founder, Graduates: Matt Charles (Producer,
Adobe) Gearbox Software), Ricardo Flores
CENTRAL FLORIDA UNIVERSITY (Animator, Naughty Dog)
7. BECKER COLLEGE
2020 Grads Salary: $70,000 16. SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART
2020 Grads Shipped Game: 87% 2020 Grads Shipped Game: 73% Graduates: Matthew Hopkins AND DESIGN
2020 Grads Salary: $73,000 2020 Grads Salary: $72,000 (Technical Artist, Rockstar), Yuka
2020 Grads Hired: 48%
Graduates: Dennis Brannvall (Design Faculty: Dr. Bennett Foddy (Getting Ninohara (UX, WB Games)
2020 Grads Salary: $60679
Director, EA DICE), Over It)
Billy Bramer (Lead Programmer, 2020 Gender Breakdown: 55% 8. ABERTAY UNIVERSITY
Epic) Female, 39% Male 17. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
2020 Grads Hired: 65%
Faculty: Benjamin Noel (VP, COO, 2020 Grads Salary: $80,000
2020 Grads Salary: $68,000
Electronic Arts Tiburon), Fun Fact: AU’s program pushes
Richard Hall (EA Sports) students to engage with games for
9. DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY change.
2020 Grads Salary: $78,000
Graduates: Luis Villegas 18. UNIVERSITY OF
(Engineering Lead, Destiny), Arturo CALIFORNIA—SANTA CRUZ
Jauregui (Artist, Nintendo) 2020 Grads Hired: 75%
Faculty: Robin Hunicke
10. WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC
(thatgamecompany, Funomena)
INSTITUTE
2020 Grads Hired: 63%
19. NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY
2020 Grads Salary: $72,350
2020 Grads Hired: 71%
11. DREXEL UNIVERSITY Graduates: Jon Webb (Director of
Global Product Strategy,
3 4
2020 Grads Salary: $74,000
S OUTHERN U NIVERSITY 2020 Gender Breakdown: 75% PlayStation), Tim Schafer (Double
METHODIST OF SOUTHERN Female, 25% Male Fine)
UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA 12. MICHIGAN STATE 20. NORTHEASTERN
UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY
2020 Grads Hired: 50%
2020 Grads Hired: 85% 2020 Grads Hired: 90% 2020 Grads Hired: 73%
Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes
2020 Grads Salary: $67,400 2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 Total Courses: 63
(Concept Artist, Blizzard), Jeremy
Graduates: Katie Sabin (Artist, Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black
Raven Software) Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch) Gibson Bond (Programmer/
21. BRADLEY UNIVERSITY
Chris Cole (Technical Artist, Blizzard) Faculty: Richard Lemarchand (Game Designer, Maxis)
22. UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
Faculty: Michael Porter (Art and Designer, Uncharted 1-3), Artem
13. BREDA UNIVERSITY OF 23. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
Design, Sierra, Microsoft, Bungie), Kovalovs (Programmer, The Last of
Elizabeth Stringer (Atari) Us) APPLIED SCIENCES 24. UNIVERSITY OF
2020 Grads Hired: 60% WISCONSIN - STOUT
2020 Grads Salary: $46,000 25. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
HOW ESPORTS IS
CHANGING GAME
DESIGN COLLEGES
HOMEWORK:
The Pathless Imagine brightly lit arenas, flashy technology, and athletes
pumped up to show off all their talent. Only it isn’t on a basketball
Hitting the mark court or football field. It’s eSports tournaments played on PCs and
like a pro consoles, with everything from Smash Bros. to League of Legends.
Colleges of all sizes have realized just how valuable the world of
Archery and video games go together eSports can be for students and academic programs, offering up
like peanut butter and chocolate, and ways for students to form community bonds and learn valuable
plenty of video game protagonists business skills and artistic principles in the process.
are supposedly perfect shots. But if
we’re supposed to be heroes, why do We spoke with some of the folks journalism, and colleges like Becker
games let us whiff so many shots and leading the charge in competitive and USC offer classes focused on
collegiate eSports to ask them how its content creation that forms the
stumble while aiming, and is there a changed campus culture, and what it backbone of vibrant fanbases.
better way? offers students. As you can imagine for “What esports means for us is to
a multi-million (soon to be billion) dollar ensure we’re getting students
industry, it’s quite a lot. connected with companies that are at
EXAMPLE: When Giant Squid made 2020’s The
the forefront of technology and where
Pathless, they knew they wanted their protagonist FROM THE PC TO THE DEGREE we think the industry is going, and
to come across as a fast-paced master archer, able “ESports is the hardest, newest, and making sure we get input from them
to bound across huge landscapes with the inertia most exciting thing to hit campuses and update our curriculum for these
of her bow. But they needed a way to make players since the internet. From varsity and students’ futures,” USC Trojan Esports
club teams to the business of esports Union faculty advisor Jim Huntley.
believe that fantasy. At first, they came up with
management, the opportunity has In a year where “community” means
the maxim “never miss a shot,” but pulled back a been clearly shown,” says Dr. Alan something very different for colleges,
little when that got too dull. Rather than focus on Ritacco, Dean of Becker College’s esports has been one of the few bright
aiming, Giant Squid determined that timing your School of Design and Technology. spots to keep students feeling close.
shots (with a generous window) would be the key Esports, like traditional sports, is an “It’s ironic,” Huntley says. “Our
entire ecosystem of career paths medium, from a professional
to traversal. The player needed to be able to miss,
beyond just being a star athlete. perspective as well as an academic
but Giant Squid wouldn’t make that the default Students also have the opportunity to perspective, has been the one thriving
result. The end result was a simple, yet satisfying learn business and team management because you can develop games and
rhythm to archery that sacrified none of the thrill principles, marketing strategies, and compete and socialize in the medium
of landing a shot while speeding along. event planning. Becker College’s of games. Aside from the personal
program also includes classes on drain, our work hasn’t suffered.”
esports industry trends and “There’s still so much going on with
HOMEWORK: Much like the previous community development, something esports that I think is under-
example, consider how “standard” game that will help students ensure they can discovered,” says Dylan McKenzie,
mechanics that have been around for ages adapt to the constantly evolving program coordinator at NYU’s Game
might break the immersion a player needs to gaming landscape. Center. “Our role as a university is to
“You know what sports help our students and the public make
feel invested in the world you’ve created. If
management is. You’re taking care of sense of this either through making new
you tell a player one thing, but punish them Tom Brady,” Ritacco says. “ types of games that fit in that or you
for being something they’re not in real life (in “But it’s also business, continuity, want to go into casting, YouTube, other
this case, an incredibly gifted archer), then change management, economics, IT, stuff. We help you understand how to
they might not want to spend time engaging executive leadership. Now you go to the break it down in a nuanced way.”
esports side and it’s taking care of Whether it’s from the bleachers or
with your world. Don’t be afraid to pull away
[former League of Legends pro-turned- from behind a PC monitor, esports is
from old ideas even if it means dramatically commentator] Crumbz.” almost certainly the future of collegiate
simplifying something. There can’t be any sports competitions. The only question is: Are
community without a little bit of sports you ready to play?
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