Wyoming has no bachelor's game design programs, so the real list of game design schools near Wyoming starts in Colorado, just south of the state line. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (Lakewood) is 97 miles from Cheyenne and University of Denver is 101 miles away. Utah and Idaho have the highest-scoring public and private options, and Wyoming belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange, which can cut the cost of a public program in Colorado, Idaho or Utah.
Kevin ToFounder & EditorB.S. in Computer Science, Temple UniversityUpdated
0Game Design Bachelor's in Wyominggame design, game programming or simulationIPEDS
7Ranked Programs in Nearby StatesUT, ID and COOur ranking
97 miTo the Closest Program From Cheyennestraight-line distanceOur analysis
Top nearby pick: University of Utah.Wyoming has no bachelor's game design program, so these are across the border. It scores 88.0. University of Utah is in Utah, with a $13,341 net price and 70% completion. Boise State University in Idaho scores 75.4.Nearby Schools ›
Closest fit at home: University of Wyoming.It graduates bachelor's students in computer science. It awarded 34 bachelor's degrees in 2023-24, as a related program outside the game design ranking.Related Programs ›
Software developers earn $115,170 here.The U.S. median for the same job is $135,980. About 1,510 people work as software developers in Wyoming. In Wyoming, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $67,020, which is 36% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Wyoming: BEA puts prices 7.3% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further.Pay ›
Public in-state tuition averages $3,516.The Hathaway Scholarship is Wyoming's main state grant. Wyoming's public four-year colleges are a good deal: aided in-state students pay $9,918 on average across 5, under the $13,240 median state. Out of state, tuition averages $11,712.Costs ›
Heads up Wyoming belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public schools in member states.
No program in Wyoming
Game Design Schools Near Wyoming for 2027
Your closest state is the one directly south. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (Lakewood) is 97 miles from Cheyenne, files its program under game design and scores 50.6, with a net price of $27,459. University of Denver is 101 miles away at a net price of $43,324. University of Colorado Colorado Springs is 154 miles away, public, and costs $16,816 after aid, making it the nearest public campus.
Utah has the strongest public programs, and the drive is a long one. University of Utah (Salt Lake City) is 369 miles away, scores 88.0 and graduates 151 a year. Utah Valley University (Orem) is 367 miles away, scores 74.7 and costs $8,650. Idaho adds Boise State University at 607 miles, scoring 75.4 at $19,037 net.
Ranked by this site's score. Miles are straight-line distance from Cheyenne (Census Vintage 2024 largest city) to each campus (IPEDS coordinates). Completion and net price are school-wide IPEDS figures.
Salt Lake City, UT · Public · Game programming program · 369 miles
88.0
#4 of 89 nationally
369 miles from Cheyenne
Largest program on this list
Net price earns full cost points
Technical track: game programming
Public
Wyoming students looking south will find Salt Lake City about 369 miles from Cheyenne. Utah's published out-of-state tuition is $29,701, which is $21,240 more than residents pay, though the school-wide net price for aided first-years is $13,341.
The B.S. in Games prepares students for the professional games industry and for neighboring fields, including games-based learning environments for K-12 students and professional task-training tools. Coursework spans prerequisite programming, a games core and a capstone, with electives in game design, game arts, technical art and production. About 151 graduate yearly, and 70% of entering students across the university finish within eight years. Utah accepts international and out-of-state students, and the division publishes separate tuition, housing and application guidance for both groups, which helps a student plan a move.
Boise, ID · Public · Game design program · 607 miles
75.4
#15 of 89 nationally
607 miles from Cheyenne
Public
Cheyenne is about 607 miles from Boise, so Wyoming students are looking at a full day on the road to reach Boise State. Its Bachelor of Science in Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile is a public university program in a city setting, with about 41 graduates a year.
Wyoming residents would pay the out-of-state rate of $24,859, compared with $6,119 for Idaho residents. School-wide, aided first-years pay a net price of $19,037, and the full cost of attendance is $31,191. The university admits 87% of applicants, and graduates of all majors earn a median of $51,658 ten years after enrolling. School-wide, 57% of students complete a degree within eight years, and the campus enrolls 27,198 students, making it a large public university.
Orem, UT · Public · Game design program · 367 miles
74.7
#19 of 89 nationally
367 miles from Cheyenne
Lowest net price on this list
Net price earns full cost points
Public
Wyoming students heading south from Cheyenne would find Utah Valley 367 miles away in Orem. Nonresidents pay $17,800 in published tuition, compared with $5,818 for Utahns, and the school-wide net price for aided first-years is $8,650, the lowest on this list.
The program is a Bachelor of Science in Animation and Game Development with 120 credit hours and three tracks: 2D animation, 3D animation and VFX, and game and XR development. Track entry is by portfolio review, and a student can apply twice. About 24 students graduate each year, and graduates of all majors earn $55,486 ten years after enrolling.
The page says graduates are prepared for animation, visual effects, game development and XR careers. General education takes 30 credits, and 46% of students across the university finish within eight years.
Colorado Springs, CO · Public · Simulation program · 154 miles
67.6
#28 of 89 nationally
154 miles from Cheyenne
Technical track: simulation
Public
Cheyenne is 154 miles from the Colorado Springs campus, a drive of a few hours for Wyoming students. The Bachelor of Innovation in Game Design and Development in Colorado Springs is a 120-credit on-campus degree combining programming, game design and cross-disciplinary breadth in art and music.
For a Wyoming resident the tuition is the out-of-state rate, $23,155 a year published, compared with $9,022 for Colorado residents. The $14,133 difference is the main cost to plan around. Aided first-years pay a net price of $16,816 school-wide, and cost of attendance is $30,355 before aid. The innovation core teaches students to work in teams inside a business setting. Admission is open at 97% across the university, and 48% of entering students complete within eight years. About 9 graduates leave the program each year.
Salt Lake City, UT · Private for-profit · Simulation program · 371 miles
58.8
#49 of 89 nationally
371 miles from Cheyenne
Technical track: simulation
Private
Wyoming students can reach Neumont in Salt Lake City, 371 miles away, a drive that a family can manage for visits. As a private for-profit school it charges $25,500 to all students, with no out-of-state premium, and school-wide net price is $28,592 for aided first-years.
The program's selling point is hands-on teamwork: small project groups in the first year, then game engines and mobile development, then a ninth-quarter capstone. The college is tiny, with 476 students, and 52% of entering students complete within eight years. Graduates of all majors earn $97,827 ten years out. About 30 students complete this Software & Game Development degree each year. The program covers programming, game engine systems, game design and project management, and enterprise projects can take up to 20 hours a week.
Lakewood, CO · Private for-profit · Game design program · 97 miles
50.7
#67 of 89 nationally
97 miles from Cheyenne
Private
Cheyenne is 97 miles from Lakewood, a drive a Wyoming student can make to see the suburban campus of RMCAD. The Game Art BFA ends in a portfolio with a specialty in environment art or character art, and its 48 credits of game art coursework sit beside 45 credits of liberal arts.
As a private college it charges $17,760 to everyone, so a Wyoming resident pays no out-of-state premium. School-wide, aided first-years pay a net price of $27,459, enrollment is 2,061 and 31% of entering students graduate within eight years. The program itself graduates about 23 students a year, and the college also teaches the same degree online. Highlights of the program include 3D character art, texture mapping, lighting and observational drawing for visual storytelling.
Denver, CO · Private nonprofit · Game design program · 101 miles
39.9
#83 of 89 nationally
101 miles from Cheyenne
Highest completion on this list
Private
Cheyenne is only 101 miles from the University of Denver, one of the closer private options for a Wyoming student who wants a game development degree. Graduates leave able to join the programming side of a game while communicating clearly with artists, thanks to the program's two minors in math and a creative field.
Private tuition of $60,048 applies to everyone, so there is no resident rate to compare. Aided first-year students pay a net price of $43,324 school-wide, and cost of attendance before aid is $82,566. Seventy-five percent of entering students across the university complete a degree within eight years, and 78% of applicants are admitted.
Students take 52 credits of computing courses and a mathematics minor, so the technical base matches a computer science degree. The program graduates about 6 students a year, and ten-year earnings across all majors are $71,155.
These are not game design degrees. Wyoming has no bachelor's in game design, game programming or simulation, but these programs in the state teach skills game studios hire for: programming in computer science and software, art and animation in the art programs. They're a way to stay in state and build toward game work.
Similar Bachelor's Programs in Wyoming
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.
Pay in Wyoming runs well under the national figures, and several roles are too small for BLS to publish. Software developers have a state median of $115,170, which sits $20,810 below the national median, and 1,510 people hold that job. Computer programmers have $81,640 across 60 jobs, and interface designers have $67,020 across 110 jobs.
Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start
$45,150
$39,960–$57,010$40k–$57k$39,960 to $57,010
240
$62,960
Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development
$81,640
$67,490–$108,470$67k–$108k$67,490 to $108,470
60
$100,390
BLS doesn't publish pay for these occupations in Wyoming:
Special effects artists and animators: $102,030 national median. See animator salary ›
Art directors: $114,850 national median.
Annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025. The middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
Pay in Wyoming's Largest Metro Areas
Metro area
Software developers
Price level
Cheyenne
$121,990
96.5
Casper
$103,000
93.8
Median annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025, for the state's largest metropolitan areas by total employment, all in Wyoming. Price level is BEA's Regional Price Parity for 2024, where the U.S. average is 100. 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.
Art and animation data is thin. BLS publishes no Wyoming wage for animators and effects artists or for art directors, so there is nothing honest to say about those jobs. Graphic designers have a median of $45,150 across 240 jobs. The narrow market is one reason many Wyoming graduates work remotely or move to Colorado or Utah.
Cheyenne pays developers $121,990 and graphic designers $44,890, while Casper pays $103,000 and $44,730. Cheyenne, the state's largest city, is the stronger of the two. Prices help: Wyoming's price level is 92.7, so costs sit roughly 7.3% under the national average, and Cheyenne is at 96.5 and Casper at 93.8.
Because the in-state design market is small, picture your first job as QA tester, junior designer, UI artist or junior programmer in Denver, Salt Lake City or remote. The Colorado options sit close enough to keep Wyoming ties while you work.
About 1,510 people work as software developers in Wyoming. In Wyoming, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $67,020, which is 36% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Wyoming: BEA puts prices 7.3% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further.
The game design salary pages explain what each occupation covers and how game studios fit inside it.
Cost in Wyoming
Paying for School in Wyoming
Wyoming has five public four-year colleges, and they are cheap. Residents pay $3,516 on average in tuition and nonresidents pay $11,712, a premium of $8,196. After aid, in-state students average a net price of $9,918. None has a game bachelor's in the federal data, so this is the price of staying home for a related degree such as computer science.
Public colleges in WY
Figure
Public four-year colleges
5
Average in-state tuition
$3,516
Average out-of-state tuition
$11,712
Average net price, aided in-state students
$9,918
Means across Wyoming's public four-year degree-granting colleges that offer undergraduate study: tuition from IPEDS for 2023-24 (5 colleges reporting), net price for 2022-23 (5 reporting). Net price is what first-year students with grant aid paid after grants.
Wyoming's public four-year colleges are a good deal: aided in-state students pay $9,918 on average across 5, under the $13,240 median state.
The Hathaway Scholarship, a need and merit award from the Wyoming Department of Education, is the state aid to ask about. The Western Undergraduate Exchange lists Colorado, Idaho and Utah as members with public game programs nearby, so a Wyoming resident can apply for reduced rates at University of Utah, Utah Valley University, Boise State University, or University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Check each program's WUE approval before you apply.
State Aid in Wyoming
Wyoming's main need and merit program for undergraduates is the Hathaway Scholarship, run by the Wyoming Department of Education. In its own words: "The Hathaway Scholarship provides free money for college to every eligible Wyoming high school graduate of public high school, homeschool, or HSEC." Fill out the FAFSA early, since many state programs award money until it runs out.
Tuition Exchanges
Wyoming 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."
How to Choose a Game Design Program If You Live in Wyoming
Think about distance, then price. Colorado is the shortest drive, but its two nearest campuses are private and cost $27,459 and $43,324. Utah Valley University is farther at 367 miles but costs $8,650, and WUE may reduce that for a Wyoming resident. For many students, the extra drive buys a much lower bill.
Compare design and programming. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, plus University of Denver, Utah Valley University, plus Boise State University, file under game design. University of Utah files under game programming. Simulation covers Neumont College of Computer Science, plus University of Colorado Colorado Springs. If you want to code, Utah is the draw. If you want to design, Utah Valley University is the value pick.
Staying home is a real option too. A Wyoming public college at $9,918 after aid, followed by a game portfolio, is cheaper than any move. Remember that net price and completion rate describe the whole campus, not the program, and check each school's own game course list.
Neighboring States
Neighboring stateColorado3 ranked game bachelor's · 10 programs in allView the Colorado guide ›
Neighboring stateUtah3 ranked game bachelor's · 5 programs in allView the Utah guide ›
Neighboring stateIdaho1 ranked game bachelor's · 2 programs in allView the Idaho guide ›
Neighboring stateMontanaNo programs; the guide lists the nearestView the Montana guide ›
Neighboring stateNebraskaNo programs; the guide lists the nearestView the Nebraska guide ›
Neighboring stateSouth Dakota1 related programs, no game bachelor'sView the South Dakota guide ›
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Game Design Schools in Wyoming?
Wyoming has no bachelor's game design program in the federal data, so the closest ranked options are in neighboring states. University of Utah in Utah scores highest at 88.0, 369 miles from Cheyenne, with 70% completion and a $13,341 net price. Boise State University in Idaho is next at 75.4. Wyoming belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public colleges in member states, though each college picks which programs take part. See the nearby programs, ranked.
How Much Do Wyoming Game Developers Earn?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earn a median of $115,170 in Wyoming, against $135,980 nationally (BLS May 2025). In Wyoming, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $67,020, which is 36% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Wyoming: BEA puts prices 7.3% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further. About 1,510 people work as software developers in Wyoming. See what game jobs pay in Wyoming.
What Does a Wyoming Public College Cost?
The lowest-priced ranked option for Wyoming students is Utah Valley University in Utah, at an average net price of $8,650 a year for aided first-year students. The catch is completion: 46% of its students finish, under the 59% median, and a program you don't finish costs more than its sticker. Public in-state tuition in Wyoming averages $3,516, if a related program at home fits. See paying for school in Wyoming.
How Much More Do Out-of-State Students Pay in Wyoming?
Out-of-state students pay about $8,196 more a year in tuition at Wyoming's public four-year colleges, where in-state tuition averages $3,516 against $11,712 for nonresidents (IPEDS 2023-24). After grants, aided in-state students pay an average net price of $9,918. Wyoming belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public colleges in member states, though each college picks which programs take part. See paying for school in Wyoming.
Is It Expensive to Live in Wyoming?
Wyoming is cheaper than average to live in: overall prices run at 92.7 on BEA's Regional Price Parities, where the U.S. average is 100, and housing at 71.1. Housing pulls the cost down most, at 71.1 on BEA's housing index against 100 nationally. Wyoming's public four-year colleges are a good deal: aided in-state students pay $9,918 on average across 5, under the $13,240 median state. See what game jobs pay in Wyoming.
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.
