100 Best colleges for Game Design and Development in the United States
Updated:
Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Game Design and Development. A graph of 1.23M citations received by 38.8K academic papers made by 180 universities in the United States was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.
We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.
1. Stanford University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $25,078
2. University of Southern California
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1500
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $43,412
3. University of Washington - Seattle
- Acceptance Rate
- 39%
- Receiving Aid
- 56%
- Average Aid
- $16,156
- Enrollment
- 56,997
4. University of Central Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
5. Iowa State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 14%
- Average SAT
- 1455
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 73%
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance Rate
- 15%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1550
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,996
9. Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $35,552
10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 55%
- Average SAT
- 1365
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
11. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1415
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 64%
12. Purdue University
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
13. University of Illinois at Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
14. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1445
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
15. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
16. University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
17. Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
18. Columbia University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $22,520
19. Harvard University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,525
20. Michigan State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1270
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
21. University of California - Santa Barbara
- Acceptance Rate
- 33%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $24,695
- Enrollment
- 26,133
22. New York University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $30,325
23. Clemson University
- Acceptance Rate
- 38%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
24. University of Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
25. University of Rochester
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $40,462
26. University of California - Irvine
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $23,110
- Enrollment
- 37,297
27. North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1385
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
28. University of California - Berkeley
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Receiving Aid
- 63%
- Average Aid
- $29,608
- Enrollment
- 45,882
29. Johns Hopkins University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,017
30. Texas A&M University - College Station
- Acceptance Rate
- 57%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
31. University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance Rate
- 27%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
32. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 81%
33. Arizona State University - Tempe
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $12,172
- Enrollment
- 79,818
34. Cornell University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,361
35. University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,570
36. University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance Rate
- 27%
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
- Average Aid
- $25,757
- Enrollment
- 44,256
37. University of California - Los Angeles
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
- Average Aid
- $25,627
- Enrollment
- 47,335
38. University of California - Santa Cruz
- Acceptance Rate
- 66%
- Receiving Aid
- 64%
- Average Aid
- $22,774
- Enrollment
- 19,938
39. University of Utah
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
40. University of Missouri - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
41. University of Maryland - College Park
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1465
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
42. Ohio State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1395
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
43. Northeastern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1490
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $34,207
44. Yale University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,408
45. Emory University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1510
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $27,303
46. University of North Texas
- Acceptance Rate
- 72%
- Average SAT
- 1105
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
47. Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $25,186
48. Brown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,256
49. Florida State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
50. George Mason University
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
51. University of Pittsburgh
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1370
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
52. Northwestern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,830
53. University of Arizona
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
54. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
55. Miami University - Oxford
- Acceptance Rate
- 75%
- Average SAT
- 1305
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 98%
56. University of Virginia
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 57%
57. Georgia State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 55%
- Average SAT
- 1060
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
58. University of Iowa
- Acceptance Rate
- 84%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
59. Duke University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $21,981
60. New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1335
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
61. University at Buffalo
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
62. Naval Postgraduate School
- Acceptance Rate
- 23%
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Male:Female
- 79:21
- Founded
- 1909
63. University of Nevada - Reno
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1175
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
64. University of California - Davis
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
- Average Aid
- $24,591
- Enrollment
- 40,065
65. Old Dominion University
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Average SAT
- 1190
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
66. San Diego State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 36%
- Receiving Aid
- 62%
- Average Aid
- $12,053
- Enrollment
- 41,137
67. Texas Tech University
- Acceptance Rate
- 73%
- Average SAT
- 1185
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
68. Mississippi State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
69. Indiana University - Bloomington
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 82%
70. Drexel University
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $42,801
71. University of South Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
72. Syracuse University
- Acceptance Rate
- 46%
- Average SAT
- 1355
- Average ACT
- 31
- Net Price
- $48,215
73. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Average SAT
- 1443
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $38,887
74. Rochester Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 67%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 31
- Net Price
- $39,534
75. George Washington University
- Acceptance Rate
- 47%
- Average SAT
- 1425
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $46,485
76. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Net Price
- $47,372
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
- Average Aid
- $31,545
77. University of Georgia
- Acceptance Rate
- 38%
- Average SAT
- 1375
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
78. University of Houston
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1250
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
79. University of Texas at Dallas
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
80. Temple University
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $14,837
- Enrollment
- 29,640
81. University of Miami
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $45,397
82. Tufts University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1515
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $32,367
83. Brigham Young University - Provo
- Acceptance Rate
- 68%
- Average SAT
- 1365
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $16,694
84. University of Cincinnati
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1265
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
85. University of Colorado Boulder
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1335
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
86. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Enrollment
- 2,549
- Male:Female
- 43:57
- Founded
- 1943
87. Kent State University at Kent
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1125
- Average ACT
- 22
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
88. University of California - San Francisco
- Acceptance Rate
- 13%
- Enrollment
- 3,007
- Male:Female
- 36:64
- Founded
- 1864
89. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Average SAT
- 1135
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
90. University of Alabama
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
91. Kennesaw State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1110
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
92. University of Connecticut
- Acceptance Rate
- 52%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
93. Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Receiving Aid
- 99%
- Average Aid
- $14,387
- Enrollment
- 15,414
94. University of New Mexico
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1030
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
95. Wright State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 96%
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
- Average Aid
- $8,942
- Enrollment
- 10,603
96. East Carolina University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1155
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 77%
97. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1180
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
98. Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,408
99. Boston University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $24,420
100. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1214
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
The best cities to study Game Design and Development in the United States based on the number of universities and their ranks are Stanford, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Orlando.