Phoenix gives you a short list, and that's useful. Among game design schools in Phoenix, three ranked programs exist inside the metro, and two campuses account for all of them: Arizona State University Campus Immersion (Tempe), 14 miles from the center, and University of Advancing Technology, 15 miles out. One is a large public university, the other a small private for-profit, and both are in Tempe. Nothing ranked lies closer than 14 miles.
Kevin ToFounder & EditorB.S. in Computer Science, Temple UniversityUpdated
14Game Programs Within 25 Milesgame design, programming, simulation and animation, all levelsIPEDS locations
14Game Programs Within 50 Milesat 8 collegesIPEDS locations
1Ranked Game Design Bachelor's Nearbyranked, within 50 miles; plus 2 animationOur ranking
Arizona State University Campus Immersion leads the metro at 84.5.3 ranked programs sit inside the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro. It beats the ranking's medians on both counts: 68% of its students finish, against 59%, and aided first-year students pay $16,401, against $26,150.The Ranking ›
Software developers earn $131,750 here.The U.S. median for the same job is $135,980. About 29,380 people work as software developers in the metro, close to the national share. Pay for web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, in Phoenix sits close to the national median: $104,940 against $104,000.Pay ›
250 software and game publishers in the metro.Concentration 0.47, where 1.00 matches the U.S. Those publishers employ 7,048 people. The metro also has 1,031 custom programming studios and 158 film, video and animation production companies.Employers ›
In-state tuition starts at $2,328.6 public colleges nearby offer a game-related program. The highest in-state tuition nearby is $11,478, so where you enroll changes the bill a lot.Costs ›
A one-bedroom rents for $1,566 a month.The U.S. median one-bedroom is $1,301. Rent is the big cost in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro: the median is $1,819 a month, $332 over the U.S. median. The lowest on-campus room and board nearby is $11,950 a year at University of Advancing Technology.Living Costs ›
Ranked in Phoenix
The Best Game Design Schools in Phoenix, AZ for 2027
Arizona State University Campus Immersion ranks 5 of 82 for animation with a score of 84.5. It graduates 87 students a year in the program, school-wide completion is 68%, and the net price is $16,401. University of Advancing Technology has two entries: computer game programming at 32 of 89 (score 63.4, 13 graduates a year) and animation at 49 of 82 (score 55.6, 2 graduates).
Look at the completion rate before you look at the rank. University of Advancing Technology's school-wide figure is 48%, against 68% at Arizona State, and its net price is $21,148. That doesn't make the programming program a bad choice, since it's the only ranked game programming bachelor's in the metro, but it's worth asking the school how many entering students finish.
Game design, game programming, simulation and animation programs are all scored the same way, on completion, net price and program size. On each card, completion is the school's 8-year award rate and net price its average for aided first-year students, both from IPEDS; grads a year is the program's own average, 2022 to 2024. Miles are straight-line from central Phoenix.
Tempe is 14 miles from Phoenix, and ASU's Media Arts and Sciences B.S. (Games and Interactive Media) brings a humanities lens to game development. Courses such as Prototyping Dreams and Introduction to Digital Culture sit beside Game Design and Game Engine Fundamentals.
Students can add a certificate in arts and humanities in games, and the degree ends in a capstone that builds digital media systems from humanities, arts and science research. Aided first-years across the university pay a net price of $16,401, which is the lowest in Phoenix among the programs we cover, and 68% complete a degree within eight years. About 87 graduates a year make this the largest program in Phoenix. Earnings for graduates of all majors were $62,668 ten years out. The program is 120 credit hours and is offered at the Tempe campus. Completion across the university is the highest in Phoenix among the programs we cover.
Completion
68%school-wide
Net price
$16,401aided first-years
Grads a year
87this program
Earnings
$62,66810 yrs, all majors
Students
79,818largest school of the 82 ranked in animation
Tempe, AZ · Private for-profit · Game programming program · 15 miles
63.4
#32 of 89 nationally
15 miles from Phoenix
Technical track: game programming
Private
At 15 miles from Phoenix, UAT's Tempe campus is an easy commute or a short move for anyone in the metro. The campus sits in a city setting, and the game programming bachelor's is one of several game degrees there, alongside art and animation and game design, so students can collaborate across disciplines.
Local cost is $17,900 in tuition, with a school-wide net price of $21,148 for aided first-years and a cost of attendance of $35,373 before aid. Admission is open, at 98% school-wide, and the school offers degrees on the ground and online. Programming students work in C++ and C#, and the school says its game studio lets them ship finished titles. About 13 students graduate from the program each year.
Tempe, AZ · Private for-profit · Animation program · 15 miles
55.6
#49 of 82 in animation
15 miles from Phoenix
Animation
Private
The University of Advancing Technology is a for-profit campus in Tempe, 15 miles from Phoenix. Its Game Art and Animation degree covers 2D and 3D art and animation assets for PC, console, mobile, online and virtual reality platforms. Students study color theory, lighting, shading, anatomy, perspective and scene staging, then show mastery in low- and high-polygon modeling, texturing, rigging, framing and motion capture animation. The page lists jobs such as character artist, environment texture artist, character animator and rigger, and digital modeler.
Tuition is $17,900 for every student, the sticker cost of attendance is $35,373, and aided first-years pay a net price of $21,148. Only about 2 students complete the degree in a typical year. UAT enrolls 933 students, admits 98% of applicants and sees 48% finish within eight years school-wide. Earnings ten years out are $50,719 across all majors.
The rest of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro and the nearby areas are covered on the Arizona page.
StateArizona3 ranked game bachelor's · 16 programs in allView the Arizona guide ›
More ways in
Other Game Programs in Phoenix
12 more programs inside the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro offer a way into game work without a ranked bachelor's. These associate, graduate and certificate programs aren't in the bachelor's ranking, so they carry no score. Grads a year is the program's IPEDS average, 2022 to 2024, and admission is the college's fall 2024 rate (College Scorecard).
Pay in Phoenix sits close to the national numbers and a little above Arizona's. Software developers, who include game programmers, sit at $131,750, which is $4,230 under the national figure and $2,060 over Arizona's. Web and digital interface designers, where game and UI designers are counted, earn $104,940, $940 above the national median. Special effects artists and animators earn $96,670.
Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start
$59,090
$50,900–$76,100$51k–$76k$50,900 to $76,100
2,810
$58,510
$62,960
Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development
$91,110May 2025
$74,890–$130,210$75k–$130k$74,890 to $130,210, May 2025May 2025
2,830May 2024
$88,990May 2025
$100,390
Art directorsSenior art leads; rarely a first job
$91,250May 2024
$76,400–$109,520$76k–$110k$76,400 to $109,520, May 2024May 2024
340May 2025
$85,470May 2024
$114,850
Annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025, for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area. The middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile. Figures tagged May 2024 are from that earlier BLS release, because BLS didn't publish one for the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro in the current release.
Those animator wages are $5,360 below the national median but $7,020 above Arizona's, so Phoenix animators earn above the Arizona median. Computer programmers outside software development earn $91,110, graphic designers $59,090. BLS publishes no metro figure for art directors, so there's no senior art benchmark here.
Prices run slightly above the country (103.3 against 100), and housing is 121.2.
About 29,380 people work as software developers in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro, close to the national share. Pay for web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, in Phoenix sits close to the national median: $104,940 against $104,000. Prices in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro run 3.3% above the U.S. average on BEA's index, which takes a bite out of both pay and a student budget.
Phoenix hires game graduates mostly through general software work, not through studios with a game sign on the door. Game studios have no Census category of their own, so most are counted under software publishers. In the metro those publishers run at 47% of the national concentration, which tells you the pure software and game publishing scene here is thinner than average.
Industry
What it covers
Businesses
Employees
Concentration
Software and game publishers
Software publishers (game publishers and studios are filed here)
250
7,048
0.47
Custom programming studios
Custom computer programming services (contract and co-development studios)
1,031
12,846
0.85
Film, video and animation production
Motion picture and video production (animation and VFX studios)
158
413
0.18
Graphic design firms
Graphic design services
230
589
0.80
Establishments and March payroll employees in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro, County Business Patterns 2023. Concentration is the industry's share of metro employees divided by its share nationally: 1.00 matches the U.S., 2.00 is twice as concentrated.
Contract programming is the stronger local card. Custom programming studios, the shops that build software for clients and co-develop with outside teams, come in at 85% of the national concentration, with 1,031 businesses on the books. Graphic design firms are close behind at 80% of the national concentration. Film, video and animation production is the weak spot at 18% of the national concentration, so animation and effects artists will find few local studios.
The job titles tell the same story. Developers are the bright spot: they are more common in the metro than nationally, at 1.14. Special effects artists and animators (0.48), art directors (0.42) and web and digital interface designers (0.37) are all less common than nationally. If you're an engineer, Phoenix gives you real options. If you're an artist, expect to compete for a small pool of jobs or work remotely for a studio elsewhere.
How Common Game-Adjacent Jobs Are in Phoenix
Occupation
Jobs per 1,000
Location quotient
Software developers
12.37
1.14
Web and digital interface designers
0.27
0.37
Special effects artists and animators
0.06
0.48
Graphic designers
1.18
0.93
Art directors
0.14
0.42
BLS OEWS May 2025. Jobs per 1,000 of all metro jobs; a location quotient above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in the metro than nationally.
Talent pipeline
How Many Game Graduates Phoenix Produces
Every program within 50 miles of Phoenix sits inside the metro, and together they turn out 184 graduates a year, 117 of those finishing bachelor's degrees. Set beside 30,170 core jobs, the metro share is 0.6%. Arizona State University Campus Immersion supplies the biggest block at 87 a year from its animation and interactive technology program, with University of Advancing Technology adding 13 in computer game programming.
The 10 largest game-related programs within 50 miles of central Phoenix by graduates a year, IPEDS completions averaged 2022 to 2024:
Read that ratio with care. Core jobs here means software developers, interface designers and effects artists, and most of those roles have nothing to do with games. Graduates also move, and some take software jobs that never touch a game. So the number says the metro's colleges are small next to its job base, not that studio jobs are waiting for you.
Cost near Phoenix
Paying for School in Phoenix
Every public college within 50 miles is in Arizona. The community colleges, Glendale, Phoenix and Paradise Valley and Mesa, all charge $2,328 in-state and $8,929 for out-of-state students, a premium of $6,601. Their school-wide net prices are higher than the tuition, $13,166 at Glendale and $12,119 at Phoenix College, well above the tuition. Arizona State University Digital Immersion is $11,478 in-state and $13,776 out-of-state.
The public colleges within 50 miles that offer a game-related program, all in Arizona. Tuition is the published undergraduate rate for 2023-24 (IPEDS IC), before aid; net price is the school-wide average for aided first-year students, 2022-23 (IPEDS SFA).
Arizona's grant is AzLEAP, listed under the Arizona Board of Regents (Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education), so check eligibility at the school. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a regional tuition exchange for students from western states, which may matter if you live in a neighboring state. University of Advancing Technology's sticker price is $17,900, a flat rate for everyone.
State Aid in Arizona
Arizona's main need program for undergraduates is the AzLEAP, run by the Arizona Board of Regents (Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education). In its own words: "The maximum AzLEAP award per academic year is $2,500; average amounts awarded are $1,000 for the year." The Arizona page covers state aid and public college costs in more detail.
Tuition Exchanges
Arizona 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."
Living costs
Living in Phoenix as a Student
Phoenix rent runs above the national figure. Median rent in the metro is $1,819, and the U.S. figure is $1,487, so Phoenix runs $332 above the U.S. median. Budget $1,566 monthly for a one-bedroom, which adds up to $18,792 across twelve months, compared with $1,301 nationally. Split a two-bedroom at $1,787 with a roommate and you're looking at about $894 each, which is the number most students end up planning around.
Monthly rent
Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro
U.S.
All rentals, median
$1,819
$1,487
One bedroom, median
$1,566
$1,301
Two bedrooms, median
$1,787
$1,490
Median gross rent (rent plus utilities the tenant pays), American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, tables B25064 and B25031.
Housing costs push the whole metro up. The overall price level is 103.3 and housing alone is 121.2, both measured against a national average of 100. Only two nearby colleges report on-campus room and board: University of Advancing Technology at $11,950 and Arizona State University Campus Immersion at $16,091. The community colleges have no campus housing at all, so you'd rent off campus and plan on about $10,872 a year for room and board there.
Rent is the big cost in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro: the median is $1,819 a month, $332 over the U.S. median.
Each college's own yearly estimates for a full-time undergraduate, 2023-24 (IPEDS IC). Off-campus is for a student not living with family.
Your first decision is whether you want to code. The only ranked game program here is computer game programming at University of Advancing Technology, and animation is the rest of the list. If you want to design systems or levels, ask what the curriculum covers, since the ranked data doesn't include a game design bachelor's in this metro. If you want to animate, Arizona State University Campus Immersion has by far the largest program.
Public versus private is simple here. Arizona State University Campus Immersion costs $16,401 net with $11,478 sticker price in-state, while University of Advancing Technology is $21,148 net. Out-of-state students should note the Arizona State sticker price of $32,394, which is the figure that changes the math. Residents get the better deal, and out-of-state students should look at the Western Undergraduate Exchange before deciding.
Both campuses sit in Tempe. Developers in Phoenix and Tempe are places to ask about internships. With both ranked campuses 14 and 15 miles from the center, both are close enough to the center to reach from Phoenix.
Admission is rarely the hard part here: 5 of the 7 colleges on this page admit anyone with a high school diploma, and among the rest fall 2024 admission ran from 90% at Arizona State University Campus Immersion to 98% at University of Advancing Technology. None requires SAT or ACT scores.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the Best Game Design Schools in Phoenix Are Inside the Metro?
Arizona State University Campus Immersion has the top-ranked program in Phoenix, an animation bachelor's scoring 84.5. It beats the ranking's medians on both counts: 68% of its students finish, against 59%, and aided first-year students pay $16,401, against $26,150. With about 87 graduates a year, it is one of the larger programs in the ranking, so expect big cohorts and several sections of core courses. University of Advancing Technology is next at 63.4, one of 3 ranked programs in the metro. See the ranked programs.
How Much Do Game Developers Make in Phoenix?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earn a median of $131,750 in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro, against $135,980 nationally (BLS May 2025). Pay for web and digital interface designers, where game designers are counted, in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro sits close to the national median: $104,940 against $104,000. Prices in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro run 3.3% above the U.S. average on BEA's index, which takes a bite out of both pay and a student budget. See what game jobs pay in Phoenix.
How Much Is In-State Tuition Near Phoenix?
In-state tuition at public colleges near Phoenix starts at $2,328 a year, at Glendale Community College, and runs up to $11,478 at Arizona State University Campus Immersion. Nonresidents pay $8,929 at Glendale Community College. 6 public colleges within 50 miles offer a game-related program, and private colleges charge every student the same tuition. After grants, Phoenix College has the lowest average net price nearby, $12,119, under the $13,240 public average in the median state. See paying for school in Phoenix.
Is It Practical to Live in Phoenix and Commute to Tempe for Classes?
Median rent in the Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler metro was $1,819 a month in 2024, $332 above the U.S. median of $1,487 (Census ACS). A one-bedroom runs $1,566. On-campus room and board at nearby colleges starts at $11,950 a year at University of Advancing Technology, which bundles meals and avoids a lease. Housing is the expensive part: BEA puts it at 121.2 against a U.S. average of 100. See living in Phoenix as a student.
Is It Hard to Get Into Game Design Programs Near Phoenix?
Admission is rarely the hard part here: 5 of the 7 colleges on this page admit anyone with a high school diploma, and among the rest fall 2024 admission ran from 90% at Arizona State University Campus Immersion to 98% at University of Advancing Technology. None requires SAT or ACT scores. Starting at an open-admission college and transferring after two years is the most reliable way in. The nearest open-admission option is Glendale Community College, 6 miles from central Phoenix. Each program card shows its college's admission rate where one is reported. See how to choose a program.
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2NCES, 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.
