Virginia pays programmers better than the national median, yet its list of game design schools in Virginia is short. Shenandoah University, a private nonprofit, holds the one ranked bachelor's at 52 of 89. George Mason University has the stronger animation bachelor's, scoring 84.2 at a net price of $18,900, and Regent University has another at $18,314. The gap between in-state and out-of-state public tuition is $24,468, so residency is worth more here than almost anything else on the page.
Kevin ToFounder & EditorB.S. in Computer Science, Temple UniversityUpdated
1Game Design Bachelor's Ranked for 2027top score: Shenandoah UniversityOur ranking
4Game-Related Programs in the State3 bachelor's, 0 associate, 1 graduateIPEDS
$18.9kMedian Net Pricebachelor's schools here, aided first-year studentsIPEDS
Shenandoah University leads at 57.2.It is the only ranked program in Virginia, scored on completion, net price and size. It finishes 68% of its students and has a $26,400 net price.The Ranking ›
Software developers earn $136,460 here.The U.S. median for the same job is $135,980. About 88,280 people work as software developers in Virginia. In Virginia, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,140, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. BEA's index puts prices in Virginia near the U.S. average, at 101.1.Pay ›
Living costs sit near the U.S. average.BEA's index puts prices in Virginia near the U.S. average, at 101.1.Prices ›
Public in-state tuition averages $10,120.The Virginia Commonwealth Award is Virginia's main state grant. Public colleges cost more here than in most states, with aided in-state students paying $19,095 on average across 15, against $13,240 in the median state. Out of state, tuition averages $29,710.Costs ›
Virginia in brief
Key Facts About Studying Game Design in Virginia
Four Virginia colleges have game-related programs, and only one of them is a ranked game bachelor's. Shenandoah University (Winchester) files its program under simulation, scores 57.1, completes 68% of its students and graduates three a year. The ranked set has no public school, no game design degree and no programming degree, so there's no in-state public route that is labeled game design.
The rest of the picture is animation and graduate study. George Mason University scores 84.2 and Regent University scores 66.2 for their animation bachelor's degrees. Virginia also has two graduate programs, which is useful if you already hold a degree. There are no associate programs. The median net price at the state's game and animation bachelor's schools is $18,900.
Every score on this page is the same score the national rankings use, built on completion, net price and program size, from federal data. The methodology has the details.
Ranked in Virginia
The Game Design School in Virginia for 2027
Shenandoah University leads, ranked 52 of 89 in the national game design ranking, with a completion rate of 68% and an average net price of $26,400. None of them is a public university. The best game design schools ranking shows how these compare with every school in the country.
The program: what stands out, the trade-off to weigh, and the figures behind the score. Completion, net price and earnings are school-wide; graduates a year is the program's own; the score is out of 100.
Winchester, VA · Private nonprofit · Simulation program
57.2
#52 of 89 nationally
Technical track: simulation
Private
For Virginia residents, Shenandoah University's price picture is simple: it is private, so the $35,460 tuition is identical for in-state and out-of-state students. After aid, first-year students who receive it pay a school-wide net price of $26,400, compared with a $53,540 cost of attendance.
The Virtual Reality Design B.S. is built around AR, VR and XR development in a city campus in Winchester. The program emphasizes small classes where faculty know students by name, and a program director leads the major. Across the university, 68% of entering students complete a degree within eight years, and 77% of applicants are admitted.
Graduates can work as software engineers, programmers and designers of VR, AR and XR experiences. About 3 students a year complete the major.
Animation bachelor's programs in Virginia, scored the same way and listed in score order. Completion and net price are school-wide IPEDS figures; grads a year is the program's 2022-2024 average.
Programs reported to IPEDS, with graduates per year averaged 2022 to 2024. Associate and graduate programs aren't in the bachelor's ranking, so they carry no score here.
Virginia is one of the few states where programming pay clears the national bar. Software developers have a median of $136,460, which is $480 above the national figure, and 88,280 people hold that job. Computer programmers have a median of $121,610, beating the national figure by $21,220, and 3,070 people hold that job. Graphic designers also come out ahead at $72,310, which is $9,350 above.
Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start
$72,310
$52,470–$95,420$52k–$95k$52,470 to $95,420
4,740
$62,960
Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development
$121,610
$87,520–$160,530$88k–$161k$87,520 to $160,530
3,070
$100,390
Art directorsSenior art leads; rarely a first job
$101,150
$83,480–$125,120$83k–$125k$83,480 to $125,120
670
$114,850
Annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025. The middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
Pay in Virginia's Largest Metro Areas
Metro area
Software developers
Web and digital interface designers
Special effects artists and animators
Price level
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$129,090
$68,590
$78,430
97.9
Richmond, VA
$132,120
$63,660
$76,380
97.9
Roanoke, VA
$121,110
$53,550May 2024
Not published
93.6
Median annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025, for the state's largest metropolitan areas by total employment. Price level is BEA's Regional Price Parity for 2024, where the U.S. average is 100. Figures tagged May 2024 are from that earlier BLS release, because BLS didn't publish one for that metro area in the current release. A cell marked with a dash means BLS (or BEA, for price level) didn't publish a figure for that metro area, usually because too few employers reported.
Design and art pay less. Interface designers, the group that counts game designers, have a median of $77,140, short of the national figure by $26,860. Animators and effects artists have a median of $81,510, short by $20,520, with 380 jobs. Art directors have a median of $101,150 and 670 jobs. If you aim at design, expect to compete for a small number of roles.
Richmond leads the three metros on four of the six roles: developers at $132,120, programmers at $112,690, graphic designers at $66,350 and art directors at $99,610. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays animators $78,430 and designers $68,590. Roanoke pays developers $121,110 and programmers $92,830, with no figures for the design roles. Richmond and Virginia Beach both sit at a price level of 97.9, while Roanoke is at 93.6.
Across the state, prices run about 1.1% above the national average (a price level of 101.1), which is rare among these pages. Graduates generally start as QA testers, junior designers, UI artists or junior programmers, and the programming path has the best pay in the state.
About 88,280 people work as software developers in Virginia. In Virginia, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,140, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. BEA's index puts prices in Virginia near the U.S. average, at 101.1.
The game design salary pages explain what each occupation covers and how game studios fit inside it.
Cost in Virginia
Paying for School in Virginia
Virginia's 15 public four-year colleges charge $10,120 in-state on average and $29,710 out-of-state, a premium of $19,590. Net price for aided in-state students averages $19,095. Where game or animation bachelor's degrees are offered, tuition is $10,392 for residents and $34,860 for nonresidents, so the in-state discount is worth $24,468 a year.
Public colleges in VA
Figure
Public four-year colleges
15
Average in-state tuition
$10,120
Average out-of-state tuition
$29,710
Average net price, aided in-state students
$19,095
Means across Virginia's public four-year degree-granting colleges that offer undergraduate study: tuition from IPEDS for 2023-24 (15 colleges reporting), net price for 2022-23 (15 reporting). Net price is what first-year students with grant aid paid after grants.
Public colleges cost more here than in most states, with aided in-state students paying $19,095 on average across 15, against $13,240 in the median state.
The Virginia Commonwealth Award, a need-based grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, is the state aid to check. The Academic Common Market lists Maryland and West Virginia as members with public game programs nearby. Maryland has two game bachelor's programs and West Virginia has one, so ask which majors qualify.
State Aid in Virginia
Virginia's main need program for undergraduates is the Virginia Commonwealth Award, run by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. In its own words: "The purpose of the Virginia Commonwealth Award is to assist undergraduate students with financial need and graduate students to pay part of their college costs." Fill out the FAFSA early, since many state programs award money until it runs out.
Tuition Exchanges
Virginia belongs to the Academic Common Market (ACM). In the program's own words, "Many students qualify for in-state tuition to study at out-of-state institutions.." It also says: "Not all colleges participate, not all programs are offered, and not every offered program is available to students in all states."
Your first choice is private game bachelor's or public animation. Shenandoah University costs $26,400 after aid and graduates only three students a year, which means a tiny cohort. George Mason University costs $18,900 after aid and scores far higher, but it is an animation degree rather than a game design degree. Read both course catalogs before you decide.
If you want to build games rather than draw them, plan for a computer science degree. Virginia's programmers and developers earn more than the national median, and a public computer science program at in-state rates costs far less than the private option. Regent University at $18,314 is the cheapest of the three campuses, though it focuses on animation.
Residency matters more than the school. A nonresident pays $34,860 in tuition where a resident pays $10,392, so if you're moving to Virginia for college, check how in-state status works before you commit. The completion rate and net price on these schools describe the whole campus, not the game or animation department.
Neighboring States
Neighboring stateNorth Carolina3 ranked game bachelor's · 14 programs in allView the North Carolina guide ›
Neighboring stateMaryland2 ranked game bachelor's · 7 programs in allView the Maryland guide ›
Neighboring stateTennessee1 ranked game bachelor's · 3 programs in allView the Tennessee guide ›
Neighboring stateWest Virginia1 ranked game bachelor's · 1 programs in allView the West Virginia guide ›
Neighboring stateDistrict of Columbia1 related programs, no game bachelor'sView the District of Columbia guide ›
Neighboring stateKentucky1 related programs, no game bachelor'sView the Kentucky guide ›
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Game Design Schools in Virginia?
Shenandoah University is the top-ranked game design school in Virginia, 52 of 89 in our national ranking. It finishes 68% of its students and has an average net price of $26,400 for aided first-year students, both school-wide IPEDS figures, and the program graduates about 3 students a year. It's the only ranked game bachelor's in Virginia, out of 4 game-related programs in the state at every level. See its full profile in the state ranking.
What Do Game Programmers Earn in Virginia?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earn a median of $136,460 in Virginia, against $135,980 nationally (BLS May 2025). In Virginia, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,140, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. BEA's index puts prices in Virginia near the U.S. average, at 101.1. About 88,280 people work as software developers in Virginia. See what game jobs pay in Virginia.
What Is the Cheapest Animation or Game Program in Virginia?
Special effects artists and animators earn a median of $81,510 in Virginia (BLS May 2025), against $102,030 nationally. The occupation covers film, TV and advertising as well as games. In all, 3 animation programs are offered in Virginia across every degree level. Virginia has 2 ranked animation bachelor's programs, led by George Mason University. See what game jobs pay in Virginia.
Is Virginia More Expensive to Live in Than Average?
Virginia is more expensive than average to live in: overall prices run at 101.1 on BEA's Regional Price Parities, where the U.S. average is 100, and housing at 106.8. Housing is the steep part, at 106.8 on BEA's housing index against 100 nationally. Public colleges cost more here than in most states, with aided in-state students paying $19,095 on average across 15, against $13,240 in the median state. See what game jobs pay in Virginia.
Can I Use the Academic Common Market From Virginia?
Yes, through the Academic Common Market (ACM): Virginia is a member, and in the exchange's own words, "Many students qualify for in-state tuition to study at out-of-state institutions.." It also says: "Not all colleges participate, not all programs are offered, and not every offered program is available to students in all states." Each college decides which programs and how many seats take part, so check the specific game program before you count on a discount. For comparison, out-of-state tuition at Virginia's own public colleges averages $29,710 against $10,120 in state. See paying for school in Virginia.
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.
