10 Affordable Online Game Design Degrees (2025)

If you're a visual artist seeking an affordable online game design degree, we can provide a definitive guide to online bachelor's programs in gaming design for 2024.

Game design and development is an interdisciplinary degree field that integrates technical knowledge in computer science and software development with art and graphic design and also with narrative storytelling.

You're likely to see three types of degrees available for gaming degree programs: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), and Bachelor of Science (BS).

Each of these represents a slightly different emphasis in approach and curriculum, varying between more aesthetic or narrative approaches related to the arts to more technical courses in computer science and software development.

List of Ten Affordable Game Design Degrees Online

Whether public or private, BS, BFA, or BA, there is an online game design program that meets your needs and budget. Start with this list.

1. Arkansas State University

Public university Arkansas State University is home to a fully online Bachelor of Science (BS) in digital technology and design with a concentration in game design.

This game design degree is oriented more toward the human and artistic end of design rather than a mathematical software engineering approach. Required coursework includes creative writing, human-centered design, cultural psychology, 2D animation, and graphic design.

Tuition is $276 per credit hour regardless of residency, which would add up to $8280 per year or $33,120 for a four-year degree program.

2. Baker College

A private nonprofit school in Michigan, Baker College designed its online Bachelor of Science in game software development in partnership with video game industry leaders. The program leads students through the entire game design, development, and publication process.

The curriculum allows you to spend 90 credit hours in your game software development major. Here, you can gain essential skills to design and develop games across a wide range of formats and platforms.

Students become well-versed in computer science programming languages, artificial intelligence, and data algorithms. Seniors complete a capstone project and experiential learning course.

Tuition at Baker College is $435 per credit hour plus additional fees, resulting in a minimum of $13,050 per year or $53,200 for a four-year degree.

3. Franklin University

The online Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in interactive media design at Franklin University offers both the technical and design aspects of interactive development for gaming and other applications.

Franklin is a private, nonprofit university based in Columbus, Ohio. In this program, you would study mobile, web, rich media, and graphic design as well as front-end development and project management.

Required courses include human-computer interaction, advanced graphic design, and a series of interactive media courses for instruction, entertainment, and advertising.

As a degree-completion student, you could finish your degree in 18 months. Tuition is $398 per credit hour, which totals to less than $24,000 for a degree completion or $48,000 for the full degree.

4. George Mason University

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, a public institution, is home to one of the nation's leading online Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs in computer game design.

Students in the BFA program study both the artistic aspects of computer game design and gain technical skills, with coursework in computer science, the humanities, art and visual technology, and music.

A tuition of $546.50 per credit hour for in-state Virginia residents ($1,523.50 per credit hour for nonresidents) places annual tuition at about $16,400 and four-year tuition at approximately $66,000.

5. Lewis University

The private, church-affiliated Lewis University, located in Romeoville, Illinois, provides an online Bachelor of Science (BS) in computer science with a concentration in game and simulation programming that's available in an accelerated degree format.

This online game design degree program is a heavily math- and programming-oriented IT degree and not art-oriented. Students take three courses (nine credit hours) covering video game programming I and II and computer graphics programming.

Tuition for the accelerated adult degree program is $625 per credit hour, which comes to $18,750 per year.

6. Liberty University

Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University is a Christian school offering an online BS in information technology with a concentration in video game design. The curriculum emphasizes programming and design skills.

At a cost of $390 per credit hour, the total cost of your degree could be $23,400 (for a 60-credit degree completion) or $46,800 for a full, 120-credit degree. Liberty University provides free electronic textbooks for all undergraduate courses.

7. Lindenwood University

Graduates of Lindenwood University's online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in game design (with an optional emphasis in game art) find work in the game design, art, programming, and computer graphics industries.

At this private university based in St. Charles, Missouri, online game design courses focus on aesthetics and user interfaces, with an emphasis on storytelling and character building.

Lindenwood students acquire a virtual reality headset that provides immersive reality technologies throughout the curriculum. Game art courses include classical mythology, drawing, concept design, and 3D animation.

Block-rate tuition for a full-time student is $19,900 per year, which adds up to $76,000 for a full four-year degree.

8. Middle Georgia State University

One of the concentrations in the Bachelor of Science (BS) in information technology at Middle Georgia State University is the online integrated digital media and gaming design degree program.

In addition to major core courses in IT and programming, students at this public state university in Macon, Georgia, complete 21 credit hours of coursework in integrated digital media and game design.

This curriculum includes courses such as interactive digital media, graphic imaging, 2D computer animation, 3D modeling, game design and development, web multimedia delivery, digital storytelling, and writing for digital media.

Tuition for online courses ranges from $150-199 per credit hour. For a full 120-credit degree, the total tuition would cost $18,000 to $23,880.

9. Southern New Hampshire University

A private university near Manchester, New Hampshire, Southern New Hampshire University offers two relevant online bachelor's degrees for game developers:

• Online Bachelor of Science (BS) in game programming and development, which aims to prepare graduates for an industry career as master game developers and programmers
• Bachelor of Arts in game design, which emphasizes front-end game art

BS students at SNHU learn computer programming languages such as C++, C#, and Java as well as Unreal Engine to construct games to professional standards.

BA students use industry-standard two- and three-dimensional graphic software to learn modeling, sculpting, lighting, texturing, digital painting, and character animation.

Tuition is $330 per credit, making the cost of a full 120-credit degree only $39,600.

10. Wilmington University

Based in New Castle, Delaware, the private, nonprofit Wilmington University is home to an online Bachelor of Science in game design and development. Students can choose from two concentrations: game art production or interactive programming.

The curriculum balances programming and design coursework, with attention to video and audio techniques, user experiences, and design interfaces as well as marketing and project management.

Tuition is $409 per credit hour. If you earn your entire four-year degree at Wilmington University the cost would be $49,080.

How Much Does an Online Bachelor's Degree in Game Design Cost?

You'll find that tuition for game design programs varies greatly, depending upon the type of degree, the particular school, and how long you attend.

How To Make an Online Game Design Degree Affordable

Be sure to consult with each school's financial aid officers to see how scholarships, discounts, or federal grants might lower your expenses.

Is an Online Game Design Degree Worth It?

Yes. Receiving rigorous training in software programming or the craft of graphic game design will provide you with the credentials you need to be regarded as a professional in the game design career field.

Find an Affordable Degree in Game Design Online Today

Start with the schools in this article to find an affordable online game design degree for you.