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 1.14M citations received by 37.3K academic papers made by 182 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
- $17,998
2. University of Southern California
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1495
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $41,496
3. University of Washington - Seattle
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Receiving Aid
- 55%
- Average Aid
- $14,390
- Enrollment
- 55,620
4. University of Central Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1270
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
5. Iowa State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1430
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 73%
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $21,519
9. Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $32,964
10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 57%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
11. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
12. Purdue University
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
13. University of Illinois at Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
14. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1375
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
15. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- Acceptance Rate
- 18%
- Average SAT
- 1440
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
16. University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Average SAT
- 1435
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
17. Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1310
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
18. Columbia University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1530
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,869
19. Harvard University
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,900
20. University of California - Santa Barbara
- Acceptance Rate
- 28%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,732
- Enrollment
- 26,068
21. Michigan State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 84%
- Average SAT
- 1250
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
22. University of Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
23. Clemson University
- Acceptance Rate
- 38%
- Average SAT
- 1310
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 84%
24. University of Rochester
- Acceptance Rate
- 36%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $40,900
25. New York University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $30,730
26. University of California - Irvine
- Acceptance Rate
- 26%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,533
- Enrollment
- 36,582
27. University of California - Berkeley
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $25,951
- Enrollment
- 45,699
28. North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 68%
29. University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
30. Johns Hopkins University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1555
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $22,844
31. Texas A&M University - College Station
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 77%
32. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1395
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 81%
33. Arizona State University - Tempe
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $11,992
- Enrollment
- 79,593
34. University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,017
35. University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Receiving Aid
- 70%
- Average Aid
- $24,176
- Enrollment
- 42,376
36. Cornell University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,455
37. University of California - Los Angeles
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
- Average Aid
- $22,441
- Enrollment
- 46,678
38. University of California - Santa Cruz
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,564
- Enrollment
- 19,764
39. University of Utah
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1289
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
40. University of Missouri - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
41. University of Maryland - College Park
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1445
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
42. Emory University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $27,986
43. Ohio State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 51%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
44. Northeastern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $34,770
45. Yale University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,044
46. University of North Texas
- Acceptance Rate
- 72%
- Average SAT
- 1105
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
47. Florida State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
48. Brown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,608
49. Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,689
50. Northwestern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $23,341
51. University of Pittsburgh
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
52. University of Arizona
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1290
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 98%
53. George Mason University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
54. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1215
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 72%
55. University of Virginia
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 44%
56. Miami University - Oxford
- Acceptance Rate
- 82%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 98%
57. University of Iowa
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
58. Naval Postgraduate School
- Acceptance Rate
- 23%
- Enrollment
- 2,600
- Male:Female
- 79:21
- Founded
- 1909
59. University at Buffalo
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
60. Georgia State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 62%
- Average SAT
- 1160
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
61. Duke University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,422
62. New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 67%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
63. San Diego State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 34%
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
- Average Aid
- $5,459
- Enrollment
- 39,241
64. University of California - Davis
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,258
- Enrollment
- 39,707
65. University of Nevada - Reno
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
- Average Aid
- $6,658
- Enrollment
- 21,778
66. Old Dominion University
- Acceptance Rate
- 91%
- Average SAT
- 1200
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
67. Indiana University - Bloomington
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
68. Mississippi State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
69. Texas Tech University
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Average SAT
- 1180
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
70. University of South Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 41%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
71. Drexel University
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $42,342
72. Syracuse University
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1345
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $51,520
73. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1415
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $35,940
74. George Washington University
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Average SAT
- 1425
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $45,466
75. Rochester Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Average SAT
- 1370
- Average ACT
- 31
- Net Price
- $39,753
76. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Net Price
- $47,799
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
- Average Aid
- $28,005
77. University of Houston
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
78. University of Texas at Dallas
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1290
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 72%
79. Tufts University
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $33,333
80. Temple University
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
- Average Aid
- $11,891
- Enrollment
- 30,205
81. Brigham Young University - Provo
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1370
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $14,643
82. University of Miami
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $41,028
83. University of Georgia
- Acceptance Rate
- 37%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 84%
84. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Enrollment
- 2,501
- Male:Female
- 44:56
- Founded
- 1943
85. University of Cincinnati
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1255
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
86. University of Colorado Boulder
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
87. University of Alabama
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 84%
88. University of New Mexico
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1030
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
89. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
- Acceptance Rate
- 81%
- Average SAT
- 1135
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
90. Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Receiving Aid
- 99%
- Average Aid
- $13,565
- Enrollment
- 15,504
91. University of California - San Francisco
- Acceptance Rate
- 13%
- Enrollment
- 3,126
- Male:Female
- 35:65
- Founded
- 1864
92. Kent State University at Kent
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1115
- Average ACT
- 22
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
93. University of Connecticut
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
94. Wright State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1072
- Average ACT
- 21
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
95. Kennesaw State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1120
- Average ACT
- 22
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
96. East Carolina University
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Average SAT
- 1125
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
97. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1188
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
98. Seattle University
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 27
- Net Price
- $37,103
99. Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,440
100. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1210
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
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.