Game and Interactive Media Design

Types of Degrees Game and Interactive Media Design Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many game & interactive media design graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	48
Graduate Certificate	28

What Game and Interactive Media Design Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to game and interactive media design and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Game and Interactive Media Design Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in game and interactive media design should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills for Game and Interactive Media Design Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to game and interactive media design:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Game and Interactive Media Design Majors

As a game and interactive media design major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Can You Do With a Game and Interactive Media Design Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with game and interactive media design:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Multimedia Artists and Animators	8.4%	$72,520
Professors	9.4%	$65,660

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Game and Interactive Media Design?

According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 46% of the graduates are women, and 54% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of game and interactive media design majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	8
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	3
White	18
International Students	14
Other Races/Ethnicities	4

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Game and Interactive Media Design. About 29.2% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Game and Interactive Media Design

Some degrees associated with game and interactive media design may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for game and interactive media design careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	5.4%
Some College Courses	39.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	53.0%
Master’s Degree	0.3%

Online Game and Interactive Media Design Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	24	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	1
Associate’s Degree	61	3
Bachelor’s Degree	5	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	14	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Game and Interactive Media Design

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to game and interactive media design.

Major	Number of Grads
Graphic Design	9,176
Interior Design	5,625
Visual Communications	5,606
Commercial & Advertising Art	3,319
Fashion Design	3,032
Illustration	2,989
Other Design & Applied Arts	1,689
Industrial Design	1,351
Commercial Photography	795

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.