University of Alaska Anchorage
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Graduates, 2023-24
- 24
View University of Alaska Anchorage's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
On this page
- Game Design Options for Alaska Students in 60 Seconds
- Related Programs in Alaska
- Online Game Design Degrees for Alaska Students
- The Nearest Game Design Programs to Alaska for 2027
- What Game Jobs Pay in Alaska
- Paying for School in Alaska
- How to Choose a Game Design Program If You Live in Alaska
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Pages
- Sources
Game Design Options for Alaska Students in 60 Seconds
- Closest fit at home: University of Alaska Anchorage. It graduates bachelor's students in computer science. It awarded 24 bachelor's degrees in 2023-24, as a related program outside the game design ranking. University of Alaska Fairbanks is another option at home. Related Programs ›
- Wilmington University tops the online options. Its net price is $14,267. Check it's authorized in Alaska. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is next at $21,511. Online ›
- Closest campus program: 1,414 miles away. Cornish College of the Arts in Washington, which scores 31.0. Its net price is $40,164. DigiPen Institute of Technology in Washington is next, 1,416 miles away. Nearest Programs ›
- Public in-state tuition averages $6,594. The Alaska Performance Scholarship is Alaska's main state grant. Alaska's public four-year colleges are a good deal: aided in-state students pay $10,692 on average across 5, under the $13,240 median state. Out of state, tuition averages $17,889. Costs ›
Heads up Alaska belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public schools in member states.
Related Programs in Alaska
These are not game design degrees. Alaska has no bachelor's in game design, game programming or simulation. These bachelor's programs in computer science, software, animation and digital media are the closest fields taught in the state, and each leads to some game work: programming for computer science, art and animation for the art programs.
Bachelor's first majors reported to IPEDS (C2024_A) in computer science, software, animation, digital media and graphic design fields, with graduates in 2023-24.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Computer Science B.S.
- Graduates, 2023-24
- 12
Charter College
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Information Systems
- Graduates, 2023-24
- 9
View Charter College's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Information Systems
Online Game Design Degrees for Alaska Students
Online removes the distance. The game design and development bachelor of science at Wilmington University has a $14,267 net price, Baker College's game software development degree costs $14,743, and the online game design BA from Lindenwood University comes to $18,698. Each is far below the $40,015 net price at DigiPen Institute of Technology, so online is the lower-cost way to get a game-specific degree. Confirm the school is authorized to enroll students who live in Alaska before you apply.
The five highest-scoring programs confirmed fully online on their own pages. Net price is the school-wide IPEDS average for aided first-year students.
Wilmington University
B.S. in Game Design and Development (Interactive Programming concentration)
- Completion
- 48%
- Net price
- $14,267
- Grads a year
- 12
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Information Technology BSIT - Online (Game Development and Simulation concentration)
- Completion
- 72%
- Net price
- $21,511
- Grads a year
- 11
Lindenwood University
Game Design, BA (online)
- Completion
- 58%
- Net price
- $18,698
- Grads a year
- 13
University of Advancing Technology
Game Programming (BS)
- Completion
- 48%
- Net price
- $21,148
- Grads a year
- 13
View University of Advancing Technology's Game Programming (BS)
Baker College
Bachelor of Science Game Software Development
- Completion
- 26%
- Net price
- $14,743
- Grads a year
- 11
View Baker College's Bachelor of Science Game Software Development
Online programs must be authorized to enroll students in your state, and this site's data doesn't record authorization by state, so check each school's state authorization page before you apply. The online game design degree ranking has every confirmed program.
On campusThe Nearest Game Design Programs to Alaska for 2027
These are the 8 game design, game programming and simulation bachelor's programs closest to Anchorage, in straight-line miles from Anchorage (Census Vintage 2024) to each campus (IPEDS coordinates), anywhere in the country. They're listed by national rank, best first, and the number on each card is that rank, of 89. Completion, net price and earnings are school-wide; graduates a year is the program's own.
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · Public · Game design program · 2044 miles
- #2 of 89 nationally
- 2,044 miles from Anchorage
- Highest completion on this list
- Largest program on this list
- Public
Santa Cruz is a long way from Anchorage, about 2,044 miles, so an Alaska student weighing this campus is committing to a real move to the California coast. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science: Computer Game Design sits in a city setting at a public university, and it averages 139 graduates a year in this major.
Residency matters here. Published tuition is $44,148 for out-of-state students against $12,260 for Californians, a gap of $31,888 a year, and the school-wide cost of attendance is $44,047. Across the university, aided first-year students pay a net price of $16,526, and 81% of students complete a degree within eight years. Expect to pay the out-of-state rate unless California residency comes first. The university admits 66% of applicants, and it enrolls 19,938 students, so Alaska applicants join a large public campus in a mid-sized coastal city.
- Completion
- 81%school-wide
- Net price
- $16,526aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 139this program
- Earnings
- $68,39610 yrs, all majors
- Sticker cost
- $44,047highest sticker cost in the top 25
- Out-of-state premium
- $31,888published tuition, per year
California State University-Chico
Chico, CA · Public · Game design program · 1882 miles
- #3 of 89 nationally
- 1,882 miles from Anchorage
- Lowest net price on this list
- Public
Chico sits about 1,882 miles from Anchorage, and an Alaska student heading there should plan on out-of-state tuition of $18,684 a year, against $6,084 for California residents. Even so, that is a modest number for a public university, and the school-wide net price for aided first-year students is $15,187.
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Animation and Game Development offers two options, Animation Production and Game Development, and requires an internship. Students also work in an in-house studio that publishes student-made games each semester. The university admits 93% of applicants, and 75% of its students complete a degree within eight years, so admission is not the hurdle here. Students also gain access to a motion capture lab and the student-run Computer Graphics Club, which organizes game nights and jams.
- Completion
- 75%school-wide
- Net price
- $15,187aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 67this program
- Earnings
- $64,17210 yrs, all majors
- Admit rate
- 93%school-wide
- In-state tuition
- $6,084published, before aid
Boise State University
Boise, ID · Public · Game design program · 1815 miles
- #15 of 89 nationally
- 1,815 miles from Anchorage
- Public
Boise State is about 1,815 miles from Anchorage, a public university in a city setting that offers a Bachelor of Science in Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile. Alaska students would pay out-of-state tuition of $24,859, compared with $6,119 for Idaho residents.
The degree combines games with interactive media and mobile development, and about 41 students graduate from it each year. School-wide, aided first-year students pay a net price of $19,037, the cost of attendance is $31,191, and 57% of students complete a degree within eight years. The university admits 87% of applicants, so Alaska students face few admission barriers beyond the distance. Graduates of any major across the university earn a median of $51,658 ten years after enrolling. The campus is large, enrolling 27,198 students.
- Completion
- 57%school-wide
- Net price
- $19,037aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 41this program
- Earnings
- $51,65810 yrs, all majors
- In-state tuition
- $6,119published, before aid
- Campus setting
- CityIPEDS locale
View Boise State University's Bachelor of Science in Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile
University of Silicon Valley
San Jose, CA · Private for-profit · Game design program · 2021 miles
- #56 of 89 nationally
- 2,021 miles from Anchorage
- Private
Anchorage is about 2,021 miles from San Jose, though the University of Silicon Valley also offers its Bachelor of Arts in Game Design completely online, which removes the move for Alaska students. The program runs on campus or 100% online, with the same degree either way.
Tuition is $21,480 for every student, with no out-of-state premium, so residency does not change the bill. School-wide, aided first-years pay a net price of $30,602, and the cost of attendance is $47,302. Students take three courses per term instead of four, and the school is small, with 477 students. About 22 students graduate from the program each year. The school admits 51% of applicants, and 52% of students complete a degree within eight years across the university.
- Completion
- 52%school-wide
- Net price
- $30,602aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 22this program
- Earnings
- $51,01710 yrs, all majors
- Out-of-state premium
- None (private)same tuition for all students
- Students
- 477school enrollment
View University of Silicon Valley's Bachelor of Arts in Game Design
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Redmond, WA · Private for-profit · Simulation program · 1416 miles
- #74 of 89 nationally
- 1,416 miles from Anchorage
- Technical track: simulation
- Private
Alaska students would travel 1,416 miles from Anchorage to reach DigiPen in Redmond, Washington. The school is private for-profit, so tuition is $38,600 for everyone and Alaska residency carries no discount or premium. Enrollment is small at 1,084 students across the institute.
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation is DigiPen's flagship program: four years that start with C, C++ and other lower-level languages and move on to building and optimizing game engines with a focus on computer graphics. About 92 students graduate each year, the net price for aided first-years is $40,015 school-wide, and graduates of all majors earn $79,878 ten years out.
For students far from campus, the SAT midpoint across the institute is 1275 and the admit rate is 64%, so preparation in math matters. The program describes itself as an entry point for new programmers and a next step for experienced ones.
- Completion
- 56%school-wide
- Net price
- $40,015aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 92this program
- Earnings
- $79,87810 yrs, all majors
- Out-of-state premium
- None (private)same tuition for all students
- Students
- 1,084school enrollment
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA · Private for-profit · Simulation program · 1987 miles
- #82 of 89 nationally
- 1,987 miles from Anchorage
- Technical track: simulation
- Private
An Alaska student looking at the Academy of Art University is weighing a 1,987-mile move to San Francisco, though the BFA in Game Design is also available online. Tuition is $29,736 for everyone, since the school is private, so no residency rules apply, and the cost of attendance before aid is $67,777.
Aided first-years pay a net price of $36,591 school-wide. The degree emphasizes 3D modeling, animation and lighting in game production. About 50 students graduate from it each year. Across the university, 26% of entering students complete within eight years, and graduates of all majors earn $39,008 ten years out, so the cost deserves a close look. The program also covers game engine technology, and students leave with a grasp of fundamental game art principles. Enrollment across the university is 5,498.
- Completion
- 26%school-wide
- Net price
- $36,591aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 50this program
- Earnings
- $39,00810 yrs, all majors
- Out-of-state premium
- None (private)same tuition for all students
- Sticker cost
- $67,777cost of attendance, before aid
View Academy of Art University's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit · Game design program · 1988 miles
- #87 of 89 nationally
- 1,988 miles from Anchorage
- Private
Anchorage is 1,988 miles from San Francisco, so an Alaskan choosing California College of the Arts is committing to a long move for a fine-arts take on games. The BFA in Game Arts & Design covers video games, extended reality and tabletop games, and it asks students to treat games as both art and commercial entertainment.
Tuition is $59,376 and the school is private, so there is no out-of-state premium for a student from Alaska. The cost of attendance is $87,623 before aid, while aided first-years pay a net price of $49,945 school-wide. Across the college, 1,308 students are enrolled and 72% of entering students finish within eight years. The program is tiny, with about two graduates a year. Students there work on team games in a senior thesis project course and on board games in an Animal Games course.
- Completion
- 72%school-wide
- Net price
- $49,945aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 2this program
- Earnings
- $49,41410 yrs, all majors
- Out-of-state premium
- None (private)same tuition for all students
- Sticker cost
- $87,623cost of attendance, before aid
View California College of the Arts' Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Arts & Design
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit · Game design program · 1414 miles
- #89 of 89 nationally
- 1,414 miles from Anchorage
- Private
Cornish is 1,414 miles from Anchorage, so an Alaska student would be crossing a long distance, but the program is set in a city with one of the largest indie gaming scenes in the United States. The Game Art BFA teaches 2D and 3D art for digital and analog games, art concepting, interactive narrative design, worldbuilding and creative writing for games, with Godot and Unity as the engines.
Tuition at this private nonprofit is $40,038 for all students, so Alaskans pay the in-state rate whatever that means elsewhere. Aided first-years pay a net price of $40,164 across the college, and the cost of attendance is $62,814 before aid. The program graduates about 2 students in an average year. Students leave with a portfolio and a capstone project, and the degree is delivered in person over four years.
- Completion
- 54%school-wide
- Net price
- $40,164aided first-years
- Grads a year
- 2this program
- Out-of-state premium
- None (private)same tuition for all students
- Students
- 505school enrollment
View Cornish College of the Arts' Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art
What Game Jobs Pay in Alaska
Alaska's published game-related wages are mixed against the national figures, and several are missing. BLS shows no state median for software developers, though 530 work here, and none for animators. The numbers it does publish: web and digital interface designers earn $71,300 ($32,700 under the nation), and computer programmers earn $91,700, which is $8,690 below.
| Occupation | AK median | Middle half | Employed in AK | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developersGame programmers and engine developers are counted here | $119,600May 2024 | $95,930 to $167,140, May 2024 | 530May 2025 | $135,980 |
| Web and digital interface designersGame designers and UI designers are counted here | $71,300 | $60,650 to $87,410 | 30 | $104,000 |
| Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start | $62,570 | $45,190 to $77,980 | 180 | $62,960 |
| Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development | $91,700 | $79,260 to $115,880 | 530 | $100,390 |
| Art directorsSenior art leads; rarely a first job | $75,200 | $67,230 to $94,250 | 40 | $114,850 |
Pay in Alaska's Largest Metro Areas
| Metro area | Software developers | Web and digital interface designers | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $104,030 | $69,190May 2024 | 105.4 |
| Fairbanks-College | $101,260 | Not published | 103.2 |
Graphic designers are the standout. Their state median is $62,570, only $390 below the national median, and Anchorage pays $63,250. If your plan is art and UI work, Alaska pays close to the national rate for a first foothold. Art directors earn $75,200 and are senior leads, rarely a first job, and only 40 of them work in the state.
Anchorage software developers earn $104,030 and Fairbanks-College developers earn $101,260. Employment is tiny, with 30 interface designers and 180 graphic designers statewide, so expect to work remotely for a studio elsewhere, or to start in general software work and move toward games. Computer programmers number 530, the same headcount BLS shows for software developers.
Living costs cut against you. Alaska sits at a price level of 102.4, so costs run about 2.4% over the national average, and Anchorage is higher at 105.4. Graduates usually land first in game testing, assistant design work, or junior coding, and in Alaska those first jobs usually come from remote postings rather than local studios.
About 530 people work as software developers in Alaska. In Alaska, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $71,300, which is 31% under the national median of $104,000. BEA's index puts prices in Alaska near the U.S. average, at 102.4.
The game design salary pages explain what each occupation covers and how game studios fit inside it.
Cost in AlaskaPaying for School in Alaska
Alaska has five public four-year colleges. Residents pay $6,594 in tuition on average and residents who get aid are billed about $10,692 net. Out-of-state tuition averages $17,889, an $11,295 premium, so staying home is the cheapest way to start a degree, even if you transfer later.
| Public colleges in AK | Figure |
|---|---|
| Public four-year colleges | 5 |
| Average in-state tuition | $6,594 |
| Average out-of-state tuition | $17,889 |
| Average net price, aided in-state students | $10,692 |
Alaska's public four-year colleges are a good deal: aided in-state students pay $10,692 on average across 5, under the $13,240 median state.
The Alaska Performance Scholarship, run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, is merit-based. It rewards your high school record, so look at the requirements early if you want it to apply to a computer science degree at home.
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is Alaska's tuition exchange. Our data shows no public school with a game program among the nearby members, so the exchange won't cut the price of a game design degree on its own. It can still lower the cost of a related degree at a western public school, so ask each campus how it applies.
State Aid in Alaska
Alaska's main merit program for undergraduates is the Alaska Performance Scholarship, run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education. In its own words: "The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is Alaska's merit-based scholarship program, awarding eligible students up to $28,000 total towards their postsecondary education." Fill out the FAFSA early, since many state programs award money until it runs out.
Tuition Exchanges
Alaska belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). In the program's own words, "WUE enables eligible students to enroll as nonresidents in 170 participating public colleges and universities and pay 150% (or less) of the enrolling institution’s resident tuition."
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
ChoosingHow to Choose a Game Design Program If You Live in Alaska
Start with what you can do from Alaska. Computer science graduated 24 students at University of Alaska Anchorage in 2024, 12 at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Charter College graduated 9 in computer and information sciences. These are not game design degrees, but they build the coding base that game programming needs, and you can add game projects on your own time.
If you want a real game design bachelor's, the closest are in Washington, where DigiPen Institute of Technology is 1,416 miles from Anchorage at a $40,015 net price, and Cornish College of the Arts is 1,414 miles at $40,164. Both are private campuses, so expect a net price well above what a public school in Alaska charges. Boise State University costs less, with a $19,037 net price, but sits 1,815 miles away.
The cheapest scored option is California State University-Chico at a $15,187 net price, 1,882 miles out. Moving that far for a degree is a big decision, so price the flights home and the cost of living in the new town before you commit. If the numbers look too heavy, a home computer science degree plus a portfolio is a legitimate route. Many studios hire on a portfolio of finished projects as much as on a degree title, so a shipped small game counts for a lot when you apply for QA or junior roles.
Nearest States
- Nearest state Washington 2 ranked game bachelor's · 9 programs in all
- Nearest state Oregon 2 related programs, no game bachelor's
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Study Game Design Inside Alaska?
There's no bachelor's game design program in Alaska or the states around it in the federal data, so your choices are an online degree, a related program at home, or a campus farther away. The nearest campus is Cornish College of the Arts in Washington, 1,414 miles from Anchorage, with a $40,164 net price. Online, Wilmington University scores highest at $14,267 a year. See the nearest programs.
What Do Game Designers Earn in Alaska?
In Alaska, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $71,300, which is 31% under the national median of $104,000. Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earned a median of $119,600 in Alaska in BLS's May 2024 release; the May 2025 release withheld the state figure. Nationally the median is $135,980. BEA's index puts prices in Alaska near the U.S. average, at 102.4. About 530 people work as software developers in Alaska. See what game jobs pay in Alaska.
What Can I Study in Alaska Instead?
You can study related fields in Alaska: 3 colleges graduate bachelor's students in computer science, software, animation, digital media or graphic design. Of the programs listed here, University of Alaska Anchorage graduated the most in 2023-24, 24 in computer science. A computer science degree leads to the same programming jobs as a game programming degree, and you can build a game portfolio on the side. See related programs in Alaska.
What Is the Cheapest Game Design Campus Outside Alaska?
The lowest-priced ranked option for Alaska students is California State University-Chico in California, at an average net price of $15,187 a year for aided first-year students. It doesn't trade completion for price: 75% of its students finish, above the 59% median among ranked programs. Public in-state tuition in Alaska averages $6,594, if a related program at home fits. See paying for school in Alaska.
Does Alaska Have a Scholarship I Can Use?
Alaska's main state grant for undergraduates is the Alaska Performance Scholarship, run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education. In its own words: "The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is Alaska's merit-based scholarship program, awarding eligible students up to $28,000 total towards their postsecondary education." State grants usually require you to study at an eligible college in Alaska, so they rarely follow you out of state, and award rules change from year to year. Aided in-state students at public four-year colleges pay an average net price of $10,692 after grants. See paying for school in Alaska.
Sources
- 1 NCES, IPEDS Completions 2022 to 2024 and Completions by Distance Education 2024 Every program in the ranking, the field code it is filed under, its graduates each year, and whether the school reports it can be completed by distance education. 354 programs in four fields. Accessed .
- 2 NCES, IPEDS Outcome Measures 2023 The completion factor: the share of all entering students, full-time, part-time and transfer, who earned an award within eight years. School-wide.
- 3 NCES, IPEDS Student Financial Aid 2022-23, average net price The cost factor: average net price for first-time, full-time students who received grant aid, in-state for public schools. School-wide.
- 4 NCES, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24, tuition Average graduate tuition, in-state and out-of-state, used for the master's cost factor.
- 5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), all-data file, May 2025 State and metro wages, 25th and 75th percentiles and employment for the six occupations in the pay tables. Accessed .
- 6 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, all data files, May 2024 Only for table cells BLS suppressed in the current release; each is tagged May 2024. Accessed .
- 7 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Area (MARPP), 2024 Price levels for the state and its metros, U.S. = 100. Accessed .
- 8 IPEDS IC2023_AY (TUITION2, TUITION3) and SFA2223 (NPIST2), public four-year degree-granting colleges offering undergraduate study (HD2024) Average tuition and net price at the state's public four-year colleges. Accessed .
- 9 U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates for incorporated places (SUB-EST2024); internal points from the 2024 Gazetteer place file Anchorage, the starting point for every distance on this page. Accessed .
- 10 IPEDS C2024_A completions, first majors, bachelor's (AWLEVEL 5), award year 2023-24 Related bachelor's programs in the state. Accessed .
- 11 Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, Alaska Performance Scholarship The state grant program named on this page. Accessed .
- 12 Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): member states and terms Member states and the quoted terms. Accessed .