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What are the top Utah game design programs for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City | #1 in Southwest | #4 |
| #2 | Utah Valley University | Orem | Unranked | Unranked |
Our 2026 ranking of the top game design school program in Utah.
The criteria we used for the animation rankings consists, in no particular order, of the following: Academic reputation, Employment data, Admission selectivity, Depth and breadth of the program, Value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness, Graduation rate, and Retention rate. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
1. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
The College of Architecture and Planning at University of Utah (The U) is home to the Utah Division of Games. Within the division are several paths to study game design including a Games BS (BSG); the Computer Science BS (CS BS) with an emphasis in Entertainment Arts and Engineering (CSEAE); a Master of EAE (MEAE); the dual MBA/MEAE; and a Games minor. These immersive, interdisciplinary programs provide opportunities to complete a professional internship at places such as Epic Games and Warner Bros. Games.
Students also have opportunities to join campus clubs such as Crimson Gaming, the 3D Art Club, or Gamecraft. Across clubs, students participate in workshops, attend industry events, and develop games for game jams. Other program benefits include courses taught by instructors with experience in all areas of game development; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; studio simulation project courses; and the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams to publish a game.
All programs culminate with a professional game portfolio. Utah Division of Games alumni can be found at places such as Nintendo, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Games, Disney, Rockstar Games, Zynga, Riot Games, BioWare, Amazon Game Studios, Electronic Arts (EA), DreamWorks, Activision Blizzard, Epic Games, the U.S. Air Force, Microsoft Games, Nickelodeon, Google, Adobe, ESPN, Bethesda, and Valve Corporation.
University of Utah — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to University of Utah's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 game design school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Elite Recognition by Academic Peers (Tier 1)
Faculty Size: Large Faculty (Tier 2)
Graduate Employment: Exceptional Employment Outcomes (Tier 1)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Minimal Average Net Cost (Tier 1)
Student Indebtedness: Low Student Debt (Tier 2)
Graduation Rate: Moderate Graduation Rate (Tier 3)
First-Year Retention Rate: Strong Student Retention After 1 Year (Tier 2)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
2. Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
The Scott M. Smith College of Engineering and Technology (CET) at Utah Valley University (UVU) houses the Digital Media (DGM) Department. Within the department is an Animation and Game Development BS (AGD BS) with three tracks including Game and XR Development, 2D Animation, and 3D Animation and VFX. Upon successful completion of first-year courses, AGD students may submit their best work to one of the three tracks.
Across tracks, students benefit from courses led by designers from places such as DreamWorks and Electronic Arts (EA); access to access to state-of-the-art production facilities; possible internships at places such as Riot Games, Sony, and Disney; 15 credit hours of electives; and participation in the Digital Animation and Games Association (DAGA), Game Developers Conference, Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, and Immerse Global Summit (IGS), among others.
The culminating experience for the AGD BS program is the Animation and Game Group Project. For this final project, students in all tracks will work together to create an interactive game or animated short. Graduates have been hired at places such as Rockstar Games, DreamWorks, Epic Games, Nickelodeon, Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Warner Bros. Games, Disney, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Apple, Nintendo, Bethesda, Sony Pictures Animation, NBCUniversal, ArenaNet, Microsoft, Gearbox Software, Amazon, Meta, Google, MobilityWare, Autodesk, Magic Leap, Niantic, and Bonneville Communications.
Utah Valley University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to Utah Valley Universitys position in Animation Career Review's 2026 game design school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Moderate Recognition by Academic Peers (Tier 4)
Faculty Size: Mid-Sized Faculty (Tier 3)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Accessible (Tier 5)
Average Net Cost: Minimal Average Net Cost (Tier 1)
Student Indebtedness: Minimal Student Debt (Tier 1)
Graduation Rate: Low Graduation Rate (Tier 5)
First-Year Retention Rate: Fair Student Retention After 1 Year (Tier 4)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.