[Game & Interactive Media Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/game-and-interactive-media-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong game & interactive media design education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for game & interactive media design students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in game & interactive media design, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of North Texas earned the #1 spot for value among game & interactive media design schools in the United States. Located in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,309, while out-of-state students pay about $21,149. Students borrow a median of $22,288 to complete the game & interactive media design program here. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $49,157. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value game & interactive media design schools. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for game & interactive media design graduates is $26,791. Soon after graduation, game & interactive media design degree recipients from Ohio University Main Campus generally make around $24,716. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
University Of Southern California came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value game & interactive media design schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Game & Interactive Media Design graduates carry a median of $18,262 in student loans. Game & Interactive Media Design graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $64,846 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value game & interactive media design schools. Located in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $64,078 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for game & interactive media design graduates is $25,000. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $36,191. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Drexel University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in game & interactive media design, landing the #5 spot this year. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,412. Game & Interactive Media Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $67,556. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Academy Of Art University came in at #6 for value in game & interactive media design this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $30,736 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $33,312 to complete the game & interactive media design program here. Game & Interactive Media Design graduates of Academy Of Art University earn a median of $38,358 early in their careers. Set against $33,312 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Maryland Institute College Of Art placed #7 among the best values for game & interactive media design. Maryland Institute College Of Art is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,800. Typical student debt for game & interactive media design graduates is $27,000. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $70,027. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Pratt Institute Main landed the #8 spot for game & interactive media design value this year. Located in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $61,845 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the game & interactive media design program here. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $45,720. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
California College Of The Arts landed the #9 spot for game & interactive media design value this year. California College Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. Students from in state pay about $60,226 in tuition and fees. Game & Interactive Media Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career game & interactive media design graduates make about $28,673. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California College Of The Arts admits about 91% of applicants.
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Game & Interactive Media Design rankings across degree levels:
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
