Best Online Game Design Degrees

Learn about the top online game design degrees and discover the best programs to advance your career in the gaming industry.

Updated on June 15, 2023

Do you want to turn your creativity and passion for game design into your life's work? Our list of best online bachelor's in game design can help you find the right degree program to set you on the path towards a rewarding artistic career.

Game design is an exciting and ever evolving part of the creative entertainment industry. Game design is a large field, that combines skills from the fields of computer programming, creative writing, and graphic design.

What kind of Game Design degree should you get?

The creative and collaborative field of game design requires a cutting edge program of study, and there are several types of different degrees programs available.

More than ever, the cost of higher education plays a role in determining which degree to pursue. See our ranking of the Best Online Schools to find the best degree at the very best value.

What can you do with a degree in Game Design?

In essence, a degree in game design gives you the skills to bring your imagination and vision to life by designing video game stories, characters, and gameplay. Video game designing requires great communication.

Game designers usually work as part of a creative team to create new video games. Then they need to collaborate with computer programmers to create the scripting language a game.

A degree in game design will prepare you for many interesting careers: 2D game programmer, 3D animator, animation engineer, art director, audio programmer, and character artist, to name a few.

What are the requirements for a degree in Game Design?

Reputable game design degree programs consistently require foundation courses such as communication, graphic design, and computer programming. Foundational courses are followed by core classes such as project management, integrated video design and technology, game prototyping and level design.

High quality degree programs then require game design electives, and portfolio or capstone project, in the third or fourth year of the program.

What are the best online bachelor's in Game Design programs?

Using the nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics, as well as university and colleges' websites, College Choice has created a definitive ranking of the nation's ten best online game design bachelor's programs. Factors for determining this ranking include: academic reputation, student satisfaction, affordability, and average annual salary of graduates from online psychology programs.

Starting with programs with the most renowned academic reputation, the list was narrowed down to those with high retention rates—a reflection of student satisfaction. Programs with the most economical accessibility were and the averages of early career salaries (care of PayScale) were added to arrive at a list marked by extensive research and data compilation.

Rankings

See our rankings methodology page.

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