Game Design Schools In California
California has 4 accredited game design schools where game design faculty who teach game design classes can find employment. The following statistics and charts help analyze the current state of the game design academic community in California, and the future trends in game design training at the following levels:
- Associates degree in Game Design
- Bachelors degree in Game Design
- Masters degree in Game Design
Schools
Cities
Statistics
Professional Trends
California Vs. National Game Design Employment
| California | 145,280 |
| National | 1,054,840 |
Of all of the game design professionals in the country, nearly 14% are in the state of California.
Employment Growth for Game design professionals In California
| 33,630 | 35,550 | 37,680 | 34,380 | 145,280 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|
- Yellow: Actual Values
In California, the field of game design is growing. 111,650 more game design professionals were working in California in 2010, than there were in 2006. So, in four years, the number of game design professionals has grown by 332%. This growth is slower than the change in the number of game design professionals around the country. Nationally, the number of game design professionals has grown by 375% from 2006 to 2010.
Game Design VS. All Professions salaries in California
| $72,995 | $76,680 | $79,620 | $81,110 | $87,580 |
| $48,885 | $52,410 | $54,744 | $56,285 | $57,176 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|
- Light Blue: Game Design
- Dark Yellow: All Professions
In California, as the number of game design professionals is growing, the salaries earned by game design professionals are increasing. The mean salary for game design professionals in 2006 was $72,995 per year. And in 2010 the mean salary was $87,580 per year.
Salary percentiles for Game design professionals in California
10th percentile |
$48,002 |
25th percentile |
$62,902 |
50th percentile |
$82,518 |
75th percentile |
$106,535 |
90th percentile |
$130,552 |
Thus, there was a 17% growth in game design professionals' salaries. This growth is mirrored by state trends for all professionals. Within the field of game design, there is a huge variation in pay, with the highest paid game design professionals earning 172% more money than those in the bottom 10% of the pay bracket in California state.
Average Salaries for Game design professionals and related professions in California
Art |
$72,362 |
Computer Animation |
$74,560 |
Computer Programming |
$84,470 |
Computer Science |
$84,672 |
Design |
$62,608 |
Game Design |
$87,580 |
Video Game Design |
$79,638 |
Visual Communications |
$64,352 |
Game design professionals in California earn, on average, more than their counterparts in related professions.
Educational Trends
Game Design programs available for each degree type for all schools in California
associate |
2 |
bachelor |
3 |
master |
1 |
doctor |
0 |
Certificate |
0 |
| Total | 6 |
A majority of these graduates, or 50%, graduated with a bachelor's degree in game design.