Florida Game Design & Development Schools: Most Expensive to Least Expensive

Florida is now home to 223 Title IV degree-granting institutions. A Title IV school is eligible for Title IV federal financial-aid programs, which makes them more accessible to students with financial need. A school must meet five requirements before obtaining Title IV status. They must grant an associate's degree or higher, offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length, have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, sign a participation agreement with the Department, and they must be in business for at least 2 years.

Most of Florida’s Title IV schools offer programs for artists and designers. Several offer programs specifically for aspiring game designers & developers. Some of these schools are more expensive than others, but because they are Title IV, students will have access to a wide variety of programs to fit all income levels. If you’re ready to shop and compare Florida game design & development schools, please review our list of the most expensive to least expensive game design & development schools in the state and what you can expect to pay. Keep in mind that in-state tuition is typically lower than out-of-state, and graduate programs usually cost more than undergraduate programs.

Most Expensive Florida Game Design & Development Schools

Full Sail University, Winter Park - Tuition Cost: Varies by program. Tuition is priced by the program for traditional (classroom) degrees and by the credit hour for online degrees.  Typically, two semesters of undergraduate study cost approximately $31,000 and two semesters of online study cost $11,112 for the 2010 – 2011 school year. Traditional graduate programs cost between $20,354 and $25,524 for two semesters. Tuition includes "all reading materials," according to the Full Sail University website.

Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $29,800 for the 2010 – 2011 school year

Least Expensive Florida Game Design & Development Schools

Florida State University, Tallahassee - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $4,158, nonresidents $15,714; Graduate residents $8,908, nonresidents $24,062 for the 2010 – 2011 school year.  This amount does not include mandatory fees.

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton – Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $2,295, nonresidents $12,458. Graduate residents $6,249, nonresidents $20,111 for the 2010 – 2011 school year. Tuition amounts do not include mandatory fees, which are assessed per credit hour.

Florida Game Design & Development Scene

Florida is number one when it comes to hands-on interactive entertainment. After all, this is the home of the renowned Walt Disney World Resort! A team of game designers & developers help create elaborate interactive games for Disney World visitors of all ages, but this isn’t the only source of employment for local developers & designers. Florida is home to dozens of small to mid-sized gaming companies, and many are start-ups. They can be found just about anywhere in the state, but many are located cities such as Miami, Orlando, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tampa, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Hialeah, St. Petersburg, and Port St. Lucie. Just a few Florida game companies include War Drum Studios (Gainesville), Digital Domain (Port St. Lucie), and Organic Motion (Orlando).

Salaries for Florida game designers & developers vary based on location, company, experience, employer, and more. However, according to salary reporting sites such as Indeed.com, Florida game designers average around $86,000 per year and game developers average around $84,000 per year. This makes game design & development one of the highest paid professions in the U.S.