Two public universities carry the list of game design schools in Washington, DC, and neither one is in the District. Of the two, University of Maryland-College Park sits 7 miles from the center and ranks 5 of 89, a standout in game design. George Mason University, out in Fairfax, is 16 miles away and ranks 6 of 82 for animation. Because both are across a state line, the price a DC resident pays is the first thing to work out.
Kevin ToFounder & EditorB.S. in Computer Science, Temple UniversityUpdated
4Game Programs Within 25 Milesgame design, programming, simulation and animation, all levelsIPEDS locations
8Game Programs Within 50 Milesat 7 collegesIPEDS locations
2Ranked Game Design Bachelor's Programs Nearbyranked, within 50 miles; plus 4 animationOur ranking
University of Maryland-College Park leads the metro at 85.8.2 ranked programs sit inside the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro. It beats the ranking's medians on both counts: 85% of its students finish, against 59%, and aided first-year students pay $15,833, against $26,150.The Ranking ›
Software developers earn $154,930 here.The U.S. median for the same job is $135,980. About 69,060 people work as software developers in the metro, a heavier concentration than the country as a whole (location quotient 2.03). In Washington, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $97,000, which is 7% under the national median of $104,000.Pay ›
567 software and game publishers in the metro.Concentration 1.39, where 1.00 matches the U.S. Those publishers employ 28,768 people. The metro also has 4,727 custom programming studios and 284 film, video and animation production companies.Employers ›
In-state tuition starts at $5,698.5 public colleges nearby offer a game-related program. The highest in-state tuition nearby is $10,392, so where you enroll changes the bill a lot.Costs ›
A one-bedroom rents for $1,830 a month.The U.S. median one-bedroom is $1,301. Rent is the big cost in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro: the median is $2,037 a month, $550 over the U.S. median. The lowest on-campus room and board nearby is $12,755 a year at Morgan State University.Living Costs ›
Ranked in Washington
The Best Game Design Schools in Washington, DC for 2027
University of Maryland-College Park offers a simulation program. It scores 85.8, graduates 14 students a year, finishes 85% of its students school-wide, and carries a net price of $15,833. It has the highest score of any ranked program near the city.
George Mason University is the animation entry. It scores 84.2 and graduates 79 students a year, a much larger cohort, with a school-wide completion rate of 76% and a net price of $18,900. The two schools complement each other: one leans toward simulation and systems, the other toward animation, and both sit inside the metro.
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 Washington.
College Park, MD · Public · Simulation program · 7 miles
85.8
#5 of 89 nationally
7 miles from Washington
Technical track: simulation
Public
A student in Washington can reach College Park, 7 miles away, and keep a city's internship market close. The program page highlights clubs on campus and plentiful internships in nearby D.C. for majors, and lists placements at places such as the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the National Gallery of Art.
The major offers two tracks, an artistic B.A. and a coding-focused B.S., both ending in a senior capstone. Local students pay in-state tuition of $10,087, and aided first-years pay $15,833 net school-wide. The university's SAT midpoint is 1465, and about 14 students graduate from the program each year. The department also notes that majors work on collaborative team classes, which build experience for placements in D.C. offices and galleries.
Fairfax, VA · Public · Animation program · 16 miles
84.2
#6 of 82 in animation
16 miles from Washington
Animation
Public
The Fairfax campus is 16 miles from Washington, a suburban setting that works for commuters or students who live on campus. The BFA in Computer Game Design is housed in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and its Art and Design Building is home to an academic advisor for the major.
Coursework includes the history of computer game design, story design for computer games and writing and editing music and sound. Aided first-year students across the university pay a net price of $18,900, and the cost of attendance is $34,900 before aid. Students from Virginia pay published tuition of $10,392, while the rest face a $24,468 premium. About 79 students graduate from the program each year, and 87% of applicants are admitted.
Completion
76%school-wide
Net price
$18,900aided first-years
Grads a year
79this program
Earnings
$76,34310 yrs, all majors
Out-of-state premium
$24,468largest out-of-state premium of the 82 ranked in animation
The rest of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro and the nearby areas are covered on the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia pages.
StateDistrict of Columbia1 related programs, no game bachelor'sView the District of Columbia guide ›
Also in the metroVirginia1 ranked game bachelor's · 4 programs in allView the Virginia guide ›
Also in the metroMaryland2 ranked game bachelor's · 7 programs in allView the Maryland guide ›
Also in the metroWest Virginia1 ranked game bachelor's · 1 programs in allView the West Virginia guide ›
More ways in
Other Game Programs in Washington
2 more programs inside the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria 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).
On pay, Washington is a programmer's market. Software developers, the category that includes game programmers, earn $154,930 at the metro median. That's $18,950 above the national median and $18,050 above the District's own median of $136,880. Computer programmers outside the software category earn $130,390, which is $30,000 above the national median.
$78,360–$119,760$78k–$120k$78,360 to $119,760, May 2025May 2025
290May 2025
$72,500May 2023
$102,030
Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start
$85,420
$66,620–$107,590$67k–$108k$66,620 to $107,590
4,420
$87,920
$62,960
Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development
$130,390May 2025
$93,490–$163,340$93k–$163k$93,490 to $163,340, May 2025May 2025
2,680May 2025
$82,580May 2024
$100,390
Art directorsSenior art leads; rarely a first job
$105,990May 2025
$80,530–$130,990$81k–$131k$80,530 to $130,990, May 2025May 2025
820May 2025
$126,520May 2024
$114,850
Annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025, for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area. The middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile. Figures tagged May 2024 or May 2023 are from that earlier BLS release, because BLS didn't publish one for the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro in the current release.
Design roles are less generous. Game and UI designers file under web and digital interface design, which pays $97,000, or $7,000 under the national median. Animation work pays $92,760, which trails by $9,270, and art directors earn $105,990. Graphic designers do better at $85,420, which is $22,460 above the national figure.
Washington is a costly place to live. Prices rate 108.9 on a scale where 100 is the national average, and housing rates 151.1. A student weighing College Park against Fairfax should think about whether the commute or the rent is the bigger bill.
About 69,060 people work as software developers in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro, a heavier concentration than the country as a whole (location quotient 2.03). In Washington, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $97,000, which is 7% under the national median of $104,000. Prices in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro run 8.9% above the U.S. average on BEA's index, which takes a bite out of both pay and a student budget.
Washington's tech economy leans toward contract work rather than games. Custom programming studios are at 4.1 times the national concentration, the highest of the four industries tracked here. That's 4,727 businesses and 85,080 employees. Census has no separate game studio category and files most of them with software publishers, which here reach 1.4 times the national concentration.
Industry
What it covers
Businesses
Employees
Concentration
Software and game publishers
Software publishers (game publishers and studios are filed here)
567
28,768
1.39
Custom programming studios
Custom computer programming services (contract and co-development studios)
4,727
85,080
4.10
Film, video and animation production
Motion picture and video production (animation and VFX studios)
284
1,589
0.49
Graphic design firms
Graphic design services
320
1,084
1.07
Establishments and March payroll employees in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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.
The creative side is thin. Animation and film production only reaches 49% of the national concentration, and special effects artists and animators are less common in the metro than nationally, at a quotient of 0.71. Art directors (0.77) and web and digital interface designers (0.83) also fall below the national level. If your goal is animation or visual development, expect to look beyond the metro or work remotely.
Programmers and developers are a different story. Software developers score 2.03 on the location quotient, so they're more common here than nationally, and computer programmers come in at 1.44. For a student on the engineering end of game design, that points to real local demand for the skills, though the Census data doesn't say how much of it is in games.
How Common Game-Adjacent Jobs Are in Washington
Occupation
Jobs per 1,000
Location quotient
Software developers
22.02
2.03
Web and digital interface designers
0.60
0.83
Special effects artists and animators
0.09
0.71
Graphic designers
1.41
1.11
Computer programmers
0.85
1.44
Art directors
0.26
0.77
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 Washington Produces
Programs within 50 miles turn out 224 graduates a year, 193 of them earning bachelor's degrees. Another way to count it: 124 of those come from within the metro, and the metro has 71,250 core jobs, a ratio of 0.2%. George Mason University is the largest source by far with 79 bachelor's graduates, ahead of Maryland Institute College of Art at 40, then University of Baltimore at 37.
The 8 largest game-related programs within 50 miles of central Washington by graduates a year, IPEDS completions averaged 2022 to 2024:
A ratio that low means the metro's own colleges are small next to its job base, but it doesn't tell you how many openings are in games. Most of those 71,250 jobs are software roles tied to other industries, and graduates routinely relocate for studio work. Maryland Institute College of Art sits 35 miles out, as does University of Baltimore, so they count only in the 50-mile total.
Cost near Washington
Paying for School in Washington
No public college within 50 miles is in the District, so a DC resident is the out-of-state student everywhere. University of Maryland-College Park charges $10,087 to Maryland residents and $39,464 to everyone else, which is $29,377 more. The cheaper public choices are in Baltimore: University of Baltimore at $7,590 in-state and $21,582 out-of-state, and Morgan State University at $5,698 and $16,593. Montgomery College charges $8,190 in-state and $11,400 out-of-state.
The public colleges within 50 miles that offer a game-related program. 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).
The District's own aid is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG), run by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, so check its rules for any school you're considering. There is no undergraduate regional tuition exchange in this area. George Mason University's school-wide net price is $18,900.
State Aid in the District of Columbia
the District of Columbia's main need program for undergraduates is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG), run by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. In its own words: "to expand higher education choices for college-bound residents of the District of Columbia." The District of Columbia page covers state aid and public college costs in more detail.
Tuition Exchanges
SREB’s FAQ says residents of its affiliates, Washington DC among them, "are not eligible to participate in" the Academic Common Market.
State line
Studying Across the State Line From Washington
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia, so a public college a short drive away can charge you nonresident tuition. 5 of the public colleges listed above are across the line from the District of Columbia.
State
In-state tuition
Nonresident tuition
Gap
District of Columbia
$5,292
$12,144
$6,852
Virginia
$10,120
$29,710
$19,590
Maryland
$7,730
$22,763
$15,033
West Virginia
$7,697
$16,535
$8,838
Average published undergraduate tuition at each state's public four-year colleges, 2023-24 (IPEDS IC).
No single regional tuition exchange covers all of these states, so expect the nonresident rate across the line unless a college offers its own discount.
Living costs
Living in Washington as a Student
Washington is expensive. The typical rent is $2,037, a steep $550 above the U.S. median. Landlords price a one-bedroom at $1,830 monthly, so $21,960 for a year. Share a two-bedroom at $2,105 and each person pays about $1,053. The metro price level is 108.9 and the housing price level is 151.1, against a national 100, so rent is the part that stings.
Monthly rent
Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro
U.S.
All rentals, median
$2,037
$1,487
One bedroom, median
$1,830
$1,301
Two bedrooms, median
$2,105
$1,490
Median gross rent (rent plus utilities the tenant pays), American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, tables B25064 and B25031.
On-campus room and board at the five colleges that report it runs from $12,755 at Morgan State University up to $19,924 at the Maryland Institute College of Art campus. University of Maryland-College Park lists $15,416 and George Mason University lists $15,151. Montgomery College lacks campus housing, as does University of Baltimore, so those students rent on the open market.
Rent is the big cost in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro: the median is $2,037 a month, $550 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.
Start with the split between simulation and animation. There are two ranked game programs within 50 miles, one a game design program and one as simulation, plus four animation programs. If you want game systems and code, University of Maryland-College Park is the standout. If you want to animate, George Mason University, University of Baltimore and Morgan State University are all ranked in the top 21 nationally.
Public beats private on price. The four public options here run $15,350 to $18,900 net, while Maryland Institute College of Art is $43,066 net. Morgan State University has the lowest net price of the ranked group at $15,350, with University of Maryland-College Park right behind at $15,833. The caveat is residency: for a DC resident, tuition at each of these schools is the higher number.
Commuting is practical to College Park at 7 miles and Fairfax at 16, straight-line, if you already live in the metro. The Baltimore schools at 35 and 38 miles suit students who plan to live near campus. American University, 5 miles from the center, is worth a look for the master's in game and interactive media design if you already hold a bachelor's.
Admission is rarely the hard part here: 1 of the 4 colleges on this page admits anyone with a high school diploma, and among the rest fall 2024 admission ran from 45% at University of Maryland-College Park to 87% at George Mason University. None requires SAT or ACT scores.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Schools Offer the Best Game Design Programs Near Washington, DC?
University of Maryland-College Park is the top-ranked game design school in Washington, scoring 85.8 and ranked 5 of 89 nationally. It beats the ranking's medians on both counts: 85% of its students finish, against 59%, and aided first-year students pay $15,833, against $26,150. About 14 students a year graduate from it, a mid-sized program by the ranking's standards. George Mason University is next at 84.2, one of 2 ranked programs in the metro. See the ranked programs.
What Do Game Developers Earn in the Washington Area?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earn a median of $154,930 in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro, against $135,980 nationally (BLS May 2025). In the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro, web and digital interface designers, where game designers are counted, earn $97,000, which is 7% under the national median of $104,000. Prices in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro run 8.9% 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 Washington.
Do DC Residents Pay In-State Tuition Anywhere Near Washington?
The public colleges within 50 miles of Washington are all across a state line, so you'd pay their out-of-state rate unless an exchange applies. 5 public colleges within 50 miles offer a game-related program, and private colleges charge every student the same tuition. After grants, Montgomery College has the lowest average net price nearby, $8,668, under the $13,240 public average in the median state. See paying for school in Washington.
How Far Are the Game Design Programs From Downtown Washington?
2 ranked programs sit inside the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro, and 2 associate, graduate or certificate programs add other ways in. University of Maryland-College Park scores highest, at 85.8. The top program is 7 miles from central Washington, close enough to commute if housing nearby is out of reach. 4 game-related programs sit within 25 miles of central Washington and 8 within 50, counting every level. The rest of the metro and the nearby areas are on the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia pages. See the ranked programs.
How Expensive Is It to Live Near Game Design Schools in Washington?
Median rent in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro was $2,037 a month in 2024, $550 above the U.S. median of $1,487 (Census ACS). A one-bedroom runs $1,830. On-campus room and board at nearby colleges starts at $12,755 a year at Morgan State University, which bundles meals and avoids a lease. Housing is the expensive part: BEA puts it at 151.1 against a U.S. average of 100. See living in Washington as a student.
What Are the Admission Rates for Game Design Schools Near Washington?
Admission is rarely the hard part here: 1 of the 4 colleges on this page admits anyone with a high school diploma, and among the rest fall 2024 admission ran from 45% at University of Maryland-College Park to 87% at George Mason University. 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 Montgomery College, 16 miles from central Washington. The median published rate among them is 62%. Each program card shows its college's admission rate where one is reported. See how to choose a program.
Keep exploring
Related Pages
CityBaltimore, MD35 mi from Washington · 9 programs within 50 miles · 2 ranked game bachelor'sView the Baltimore guide ›
CityYork, PA75 mi from Washington · 7 programs within 50 miles · 3 ranked game bachelor'sView the York guide ›
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.
