Salary and Career Info

Game Design and Development MS

Enrollment

Approximately 45 students

Co-op requirement

Optional

Co-op availability

Determined by the academic department.

Full time salary

$70,000 (entry level)

Co-op salary

Min • $12.00

Mean • $28.14

Max • $43.27

Learn more about the Game Design and Development MS, including curriculum.

Career Services Contact

Amanda Thau, Career Services Coordinator
585‑475‑5456
abtoce@rit.edu

Explore the simulation, edutainment, or visualization landscape as you enhance your game design and development skills to create truly innovative games.

Program skills

Students from a variety of technical backgrounds enter this program to delve more deeply into game design and development. Students take core courses in game design, processes, and prototyping while expanding their specialty knowledge in topics ranging from engine development to narrative. The culmination of the degree is a team-based capstone project with team sizes ranging from around 5 to 15 students.

Program facilities equipment

The Studio Labs allow for a 64 and a 96-seat configuration which is ideal for the numerous Hack-a-Thons and Game Jams, team meetings, and design work. The research spaces include areas for console development (Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox), a variety of VR, AR, and mobile technologies, and space for ongoing undergraduate research projects. IGM has multiple Oculus Rift and Vive Development kits for student use along with development kits for the PS4, PS-Vita, and PS3.

Program job titles reported

Game Developer; Game Designer; Mechanic Designer; Level Designer; Programmer; Modeler; Audio Programmer; Producer; Quality Assurance Tester; Technical Artist; User Interface Programmer; Tools Programmer; Network Programmer; Graphics Programmer; Artificial Intelligence Programmer; Lead Programmer; Developer; Software Engineer; Mobile Engineer; Interactive Developer

Program significant points

The program was ranked #7 Game Design Graduate School for the 2019 Princeton Review rankings.
From 2009 to 2012, the interactive entertainment software industry grew at an annual rate of nearly 10 percent.

Select program hiring partners

Electronic Arts, Highline Gaming, Lockheed Martin, Manticore Games, Microsoft, NetEase Games, Oxide Games, Panic Button, Paychex, Rockstar Games, Scientific Research Corporation, Steel Wool Studios, Tencent, Vicarious Visions, Wargaming

Industries

Computer Networking
Defense
Electronic and Computer Hardware
Internet and Software
Manufacturing
Movies, TV, and Music
Other Industries
Scientific and Technical Consultant

85^%

Outcome Rates*

Total percentage of graduates who have entered the workforce, enrolled in full-time graduate study, or are pursuing alternative plans (military service, volunteering, etc.).

100^%

Knowledge Rate

*Total percentage of graduates for whom RIT has verifiable data, compared to national average knowledge rate of 41% per NACE.

Outcome	% of Students
Employed	81.00%
Full-time Graduate Study	4.00%
Alternative Plans	0%