Game Programming Schools in Illinois

Most people may think video games are a popular form of entertainment mainly for kids and young adults. If you think this is the case, think again! According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the average age of a gamer is 34 and the most frequent purchaser of games is actually 39 years old. Even more surprising is, women represent 40 percent of the 67 percent of U.S. households that play video games. With statistics like these, it’s no wonder the video game industry is expected to reach $68 billion in sales in 2012.

So, what does this mean for game programmers? Lots of opportunities that can lead to a lucrative job in one of the most exciting fields in the world. Although many game programmers are naturally computer savvy, most major game design firms prefer to hire programmers with a degree. Fortunately, most schools are on board and offer both undergraduate and advanced degrees that can lead to career in this field. Many of these schools are located in the state of Illinois.

Illinois Game Programming School

Illinois is now home to more than 180 accredited colleges and universities, with more than 692,000 students enrolled. Aspiring game programmers and software engineers in Illinois can find majors suited to their career goals at any of the state’s technical schools, specialty schools, traditional colleges, or art and design colleges. Top find out which Illinois schools offer majors for aspiring game programmers, please scroll through the list below to for the best options and what they have to offer.

Chicago
Columbia College - Degrees Offered: B. A. Art and Design; B. A. Film and Video with Animation (Traditional or Computer) Concentration; B. A. Game Design with Concentration in Game Art, Game Development, Programming or Game Sound; B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration; B. A., B. F. A. Interactive Arts and Media

DePaul University - Degrees Offered: B. A./B. S. Animation; B. A. Art, Media and Design with Concentration in Art and Design or Media Arts; B. S. Computer Game Development, Computer Graphics and Motion Technology; B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. S. Computer Game Development, Computer Graphics and Motion Technology

Macomb
Western Illinois University - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Art with Emphasis in Graphic Design; B. S. Instructional Simulation and Gaming

Peoria
Bradley University - Degrees Offered:  B. A., B. S., B. F. A. Art with Concentration in Graphic Design; B. A., B. S. Interactive Media with Concentration in Animation and Visual Effects, Game Design or Web and Application Design; M. A., M. F. A. Drawing/Illustration, Visual Communications and Design

More Illinois Schools with Studio Art related programs:  

Employment and Salary Trends for Illinois Game Programmers

Although many people think that the terms “video game designer” and “video game programmer” are interchangeable, there is a major difference between the two. Video game programmers do not design video games. Game programmers are software engineers who plan and write video game software. Simply put, they take the designers vision and bring it to life. This means that while some game programmers may have a background in game design and computer science, many also have a background in software engineering, game development, and of course, game programming.

Illinois is home to nearly 30,000 computer software engineers. This figure has increased since 2002, when the population was already at an impressive 23,570. Salaries are on the rise too. In 2002, Illinois computer software engineers earned an average of $67,460-$89,920. By 2010, the range had increased to $88,650-$94,100. Nationwide, computer software engineers averaged between $87,672-$93,600 for 2010.