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The Best Online Certificate Programs in Game Design

Jake Akins

Updated December 1, 2023

The Best Online Certificate Programs in Game Design
Rank	School	Location
1	Olivet Nazarene University	Bourbonnais, Illinois
2	Coastal Pines Technical College	Waycross, Georgia
3	Gordon State College	Barnesville, Georgia
4	Atlanta Technical College	Atlanta, Georgia
5	Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College	Moorefield, West Virginia
6	Mid-Plains Community College	North Platte, Nebraska
7	Hillsborough Community College	Tampa, Florida
8	Rappahannock Community College	Glenns, Virginia
9	Brunswick Community College	Bolivia, North Carolina
10	Waubonsee Community College	Sugar Grove, Illinois
11	Clovis Community College	Clovis, New Mexico
12	Guilford Technical Community College	Jamestown, North Carolina
13	New River Community and Technical College	Beaver, West Virginia

This is a ranking of the best online certificate programs in Game Design in the U.S. This ranking is designed for online students to be informed of colleges and online certificate options in Game Design and related degrees.

Most of these online Game Design and online Game Art certificate programs are available at Community and Technical colleges.

The Best Game Design Certificates Online — Download This Badge

Certificate programs are short in duration, usually lasting from three to nine months, and as a result usually have high graduation rates.

Online Certificates in Game Design are highly specialized, and low in cost. That can be a large benefit to students who may only need a certificate to work in the game design industry.

The usual degree required, if a degree is required, is a bachelor's degree by professional game studios. However, a good portfolio and game design skills are likely considered the most important factors in the industry for employment.

As a strategy, online students who want to pursue working in the video game industry after graduating with a bachelor's degree, may want to get a Certificate in Game Design, and get a Bachelor's in Computer Science.

This strategy may allow for a kind of fall-back safety degree in Computer Science.

Computer Science is one of the most in-demand online degrees available. See our article The Best Online Degrees To Get For Careers.

A Certificate in Game Design that accompanies a Computer Science degree may bolster a resume for job applicants applying with professional video game developer companies.

The video game industry is one of the largest entertainment industries in the world, with billions of dollars spent each year in the U.S. and across the world.

Featured Online Degrees:

The Best Online Certificate Programs in Game Design

Ranking Methodology

This ranking was created using Successful Student's ranking algorithm. This algorithm uses the following data points to calculate a school's ranking placement:

Acceptance rate
Graduation rate
Cost of undergraduate tuition
Percentage of first time undergraduates awarded aid
Percentage of students who are fully online
Academic influence

Learn more about our methodology

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University offers the online Digital Game Artist Certificate.

Enrollment: 4,317
Acceptance Rate: 58%
Six Year Graduation Rate: 65%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $36,080
In State Average Graduate Tuition: $13,420
Retention Rate: 77%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $100
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 8%

Coastal Pines Technical College

Waycross, Georgia

Coastal Pines Technical College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist

Enrollment: 4,498
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 62%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,147
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 58%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $90
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 14%

Gordon State College

Barnesville, Georgia

Gordon State College offers the online Certificate Technology: Digital Game Artist.

Enrollment: 3,495
Acceptance Rate: 84%
Six Year Graduation Rate: 20%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,563
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 51%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $94
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 11%

Atlanta Technical College

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Technical College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist.

Enrollment: 3,797
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 39%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,400
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 58%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $94
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 20%

Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College

Moorefield, West Virginia

Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist.

Enrollment: 530
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 34%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $3,432
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 72%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $92
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 10%

Mid-Plains Community College

North Platte, Nebraska

Mid-Plains Community College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist.

Enrollment: 2,125
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 36%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,820
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 67%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $94
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 23%

Hillsborough Community College

Tampa, Florida

Hillsborough Community College offers the online Certificate Game Authoring.

Enrollment: 22,404
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 38%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $1,931
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 62%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $72
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 20%

Rappahannock Community College

Glenns, Virginia

Rappahannock Community College offers the online Career Studies Certificate: Game Design and Development.

Enrollment: 2,909
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 35%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $4,620
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 54%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $72
Undergrad Students Fully Online:19%

Brunswick Community College

Bolivia, North Carolina

Brunswick Community College offers the online Certificate in Simulation and Game Development.

Enrollment: 1,585
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 30%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,432
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 67%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $82
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 27%

10.

Waubonsee Community College

Sugar Grove, Illinois

Waubonsee Community College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist, and the online Certificate in Video Game Design and Development.

Enrollment: 8,665
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 33%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $8,935
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 72%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $55
Undergrad Students Fully Online:11%

11.

Clovis Community College

Clovis, New Mexico

Clovis Community College offers the online Certificate of Achievement: Fundamentals of Game Design.

Enrollment: 2,902
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 24%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $1,296
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 66%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $86
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 33%

12.

Guilford Technical Community College

Jamestown, North Carolina

Guilford Technical Community College offers the online Certificate Information Technology: Simulation and Game Development.

Enrollment: 11,070
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 20%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $2,128
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 55%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $75
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 21%

13.

New River Community and Technical College

Beaver, West Virginia

New River Community and Technical College offers the online Certificate: Digital Game Artist .

Enrollment: 1,212
Acceptance Rate: Not Reported
Six Year Graduation Rate: 15%
In State Average Undergraduate Tuition: $4,372
In State Average Graduate Tuition: Not Reported
Retention Rate: 36%
First Time Undergraduates Awarded Aid: $87
Undergrad Students Fully Online: 38%

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