Game Design & Development Degree in Evansville, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Game Design & Development degree analysis for Evansville, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$73K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Evansville
Cost of Living
86
index (100 = avg)
Game Design & Development in Evansville, IN Overview
Evansville, Indiana (pop. 117,298) has 10 colleges offering Game Design & Development programs. The local cost of living index of 86 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $974/month. Game Design & Development has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Unity and Unreal Engine skills. The adjusted starting salary in Evansville is approximately $43,000, growing to $73,100 by mid-career.
Category
Arts & Technology
Local Colleges
10
Public Tuition
$8,448/yr
Private Tuition
$42,316/yr
Room & Board
$11,425/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,482/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
57%
Game Design & Development Salary in Evansville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Evansville's cost of living index of 86 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Game Design & Development salary: $50,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Evansville adjustment factor: 0.86x based on the local cost of living index.
Game Design & Development ROI Calculator for Evansville
Estimate your return on investment for a Game Design & Development degree using local Evansville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,448 | Private avg: $42,316
Evansville avg aid: $12,482/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,492
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,900
vs HS diploma in Evansville
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Evansville
$522,508
Lifetime earnings premium ($602,000) minus total education cost ($79,492)
Student Loan Payoff for Game Design & Development in Evansville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Evansville for Game Design & Development
University of Evansville
private
$42,316/yr
$169,264 total
University of Southern Indiana
public
$8,448/yr
$33,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Evansville
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Game Design & Development in Evansville
Evansville offers opportunities in Game studios, Tech companies, Media companies for Game Design & Development graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Evansville Hiring Sectors for Arts & Technology
Game studios
Tech companies
Media companies
Startups
Entertainment
Common Game Design & Development Job Titles
Game Design & Development in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$47K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$52K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
South Bend, IN
$45K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$53K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$50K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Bloomington, IN
$42K starting · COL 83
5 colleges
Hammond, IN
$47K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$42K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Game Design & Development Degree in Evansville — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Game Design & Development ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Evansville.