Best value Game Design programs
Ranked by one number: median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. Lower is better. Nothing else is weighted, and no school can pay to appear here.
Data last updated
How this ranking is produced
- The only input is median debt ÷ median earnings, both from the College Scorecard. There is no reputation score, no survey, and no editorial judgement.
- Programs are ranked within credential level. A certificate with small debt would otherwise outrank every bachelor’s degree, which is not a comparison anyone is actually making.
- A program appears only if it reports both figures. Programs the government suppresses for small class sizes are absent, not penalised.
- A credential tier is shown only where at least five programs qualify, so a ranking never rests on two or three data points.
- Debt covers federal loans only. Private borrowing is invisible here, so a program’s real cost may be higher than its position suggests.
- Earnings count only students who completed. Programs with high dropout rates look better on this measure than they deserve to.
Associate degree
The 10 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 15 associate degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuyahoga Community College DistrictOH · Public | Graphic DesignAssociate degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Design and Visual Communications, GeneralInterior DesignCommercial PhotographyGame and Interactive Media DesignIllustrationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $6,000 | $30,936 | 19% |
| 2 | Stark State CollegeOH · Public | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources DesignAssociate degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Computer GraphicsData Modeling/Warehousing and Database AdministrationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $6,699 | $34,518 | 19% |
| 3 | Johnson County Community CollegeKS · Public | Interior DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Graphic DesignGame and Interactive Media DesignFashion/Apparel DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $9,341 | $48,084 | 19% |
| 4 | New England Institute of TechnologyRI · Private nonprofit | Computer Programming/Programmer, GeneralAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Computer Game ProgrammingThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $16,166 | $70,628 | 23% |
| 5 | New England Institute of TechnologyRI · Private nonprofit | Game and Interactive Media DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignGraphic DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,000 | $44,313 | 27% |
| 6 | Valencia CollegeFL · Public | Computer GraphicsAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $15,280 | $46,230 | 33% |
| 7 | Arapahoe Community CollegeCO · Public | Interior DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Graphic DesignCommercial PhotographyGame and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $15,125 | $44,888 | 34% |
| 8 | Guilford Technical Community CollegeNC · Public | Commercial and Advertising ArtAssociate degree · Online or on campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $11,708 | $33,521 | 35% |
| 9 | Pratt Institute-MainNY · Private nonprofit | Graphic DesignAssociate degree · On campusOffers: Game Arts (BFA) · Digital Arts – 2-D Animation (BFA) · Digital Arts – 3-D Animation and Motion Arts (BFA) · Digital Arts – Art and Technology (BFA) · Graphic Design (AOS)What this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignIndustrial and Product DesignIllustrationDesign and Visual Communications, GeneralFashion/Apparel DesignGame and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,000 | $26,557 | 45% |
| 10 | Gwinnett Technical CollegeGA · Public | Interior DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignCommercial PhotographyThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $14,482 | $31,343 | 46% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
Bachelor’s degree
The 10 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 64 bachelor’s degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborMI · Public | Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationBachelor’s degree · On campus | $19,230 | $162,114 | 12% |
| 2 | Brigham Young University-IdahoID · Private nonprofit | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources DesignBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $9,312 | $65,397 | 14% |
| 3 | Atlantic UniversityPR · Private nonprofit | Computer GraphicsBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $4,049 | $21,309 | 19% |
| 4 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $18,000 | $89,022 | 20% |
| 5 | DigiPen Institute of TechnologyWA · Private for-profit | Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationBachelor’s degree · On campus | $26,924 | $122,375 | 22% |
| 6 | Utah Valley UniversityUT · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,500 | $55,728 | 22% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI · Public | Game and Interactive Media DesignBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignGraphic DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $17,875 | $65,874 | 27% |
| 8 | Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNY · Private nonprofit | Game and Interactive Media DesignBachelor’s degree · On campus | $25,000 | $87,358 | 29% |
| 9 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyNY · Private nonprofit | Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationBachelor’s degree · On campusOffers: Game Design and Development (BS) · Game Design and Development (MS) · Film and Animation (BFA) · Motion Picture Science (BS) · 3D Visualization (Digital Design) (BFA) · New Media Design (BFA) · Graphic Design (BFA)What this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database AdministrationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $27,000 | $88,096 | 31% |
| 10 | New England Institute of TechnologyRI · Private nonprofit | Computer Programming/Programmer, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Computer Game ProgrammingThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $35,500 | $114,963 | 31% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
Master’s degree
The 6 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 6 master’s degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Morris UniversityPA · Private nonprofit | Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationMaster’s degree · Fully online | $33,016 | $96,989 | 34% |
| 2 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA · Private nonprofit | Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database AdministrationMaster’s degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $63,625 | $179,055 | 36% |
| 3 | Maryland Institute College of ArtMD · Private nonprofit | Design and Applied Arts, OtherMaster’s degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:IllustrationIndustrial and Product DesignDesign and Visual Communications, GeneralGame and Interactive Media DesignGraphic DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $39,905 | $73,348 | 54% |
| 4 | Academy of Art UniversityCA · Private for-profit | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources DesignMaster’s degree · HybridOffers: Music Production and Sound Design for Visual Media (BFA) · Music Scoring and Composition (BFA) · Game Development (BFA) · Animation and Visual Effects (BFA) · Graphic Design (BFA) · Illustration (BFA) · Visual Development (BFA)What this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationComputer GraphicsComputer Software and Media Applications, OtherThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $71,352 | $87,998 | 81% |
| 5 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · Private nonprofit | Computer GraphicsMaster’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Modeling, Virtual Environments and SimulationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $111,064 | $113,586 | 98% |
| 6 | Pratt Institute-MainNY · Private nonprofit | Graphic DesignMaster’s degree · On campusOffers: Game Arts (BFA) · Digital Arts – 2-D Animation (BFA) · Digital Arts – 3-D Animation and Motion Arts (BFA) · Digital Arts – Art and Technology (BFA) · Graphic Design (AOS)What this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignIndustrial and Product DesignIllustrationDesign and Visual Communications, GeneralFashion/Apparel DesignGame and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $123,755 | $82,883 | 149% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
How we are paid: StudyCreative earns revenue when readers ask to be connected with a school. No school pays to appear in these figures, to change them, or to be left out of them. Full disclosure.
The other end of the same list
Ranking by value means some programs come last. We publish those too — the cost page names the game design programs where graduates owe more than they earn in a year.