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Human-Computer Interaction

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

HCI and game design majors sit at the crossroads of computer science, design, and psychology. Coursework includes programming, design, user research methods, cognitive psychology, prototyping, and—for games—game design theory, narrative, and 3D graphics.

Studio classes involve building real interactive prototypes and testing them with users. Many programs are project-based and culminate in a portfolio or a playable game that you can show to employers.

What you'll do after college

Grads become UX designers, UX researchers, product designers, game designers, and game developers at tech companies, design firms, and game studios. The work mixes sketching ideas, building prototypes, running tests, and iterating—much like physical product design but for screens.

UX roles at tech companies pay well; game industry jobs tend to pay less but attract people who love the medium. Some grads continue to grad school in HCI, design, or computer science.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$72,568
748
100–85%
$76,270
1,683
85–72%
$78,914
1,528
72–42%
$116,862
900
42–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$67,261
555
400–1130
$73,851
1,213
1130–1280
$97,783
1,350
1280–1410
$112,363
556
1410–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$48,127p10 $105,129p90 Arts Military STEM Non-Research Female-only Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Liberal Arts 1–20 Public University 1–25 Private University 21–40 Private University 1–20 California Institute of the Arts · $66,099 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design · $26,703 Cleveland Institute of Art · $46,204 Woodbury University · $71,569 Cornish College of the Arts · $52,508 Columbus College of Art & Design · $40,747 Art Center College of Design · $88,433 Columbia College Chicago · $50,485 Maryland Institute College of Art · $51,848 Oklahoma City University · $57,225 Savannah College of Art and Design · $111,129 Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $48,127 California College of the Arts · $138,528 College for Creative Studies · $68,838 Laguna College of Art and Design · $56,145 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott · $88,526 Milwaukee School of Engineering · $79,178 Texas Woman's University · $75,024 Whitman College · $74,168 Florida Southern College · $61,653 Allegheny College · $73,352 Nazareth University · $64,336 Drury University · $51,276 Edgewood College · $75,618 University of California, Irvine · $114,448 University of Washington · $122,308 North Carolina A&T State University · $63,579 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $76,669 Stony Brook University · $89,583 CUNY Brooklyn College · $70,076 University of Houston - Victoria · $71,742 Pennsylvania State University · $116,013 Georgia State University · $74,374 University of Pittsburgh · $72,579 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $100,600 Southern Arkansas University · $32,976 University of Houston · $55,397 Eastern Michigan University · $52,336 University at Albany · $81,880 Indiana University - Kokomo · $57,469 Indiana University - Northwest · $62,866 Indiana University - South Bend · $64,809 Indiana University Southeast · $64,067 Northwest Missouri State University · $76,903 Temple University · $83,017 University of Colorado Colorado Springs · $89,926 University of Delaware · $70,925 University of Maine at Farmington · $60,791 College of Charleston · $51,544 University of California, Santa Cruz · $65,006 Miami University - Ohio · $94,514 Boise State University · $39,301 Indiana University · $88,753 Purdue University Northwest · $29,037 University of North Florida · $85,179 Chico State · $46,813 Fitchburg State University · $42,087 Northern Arizona University · $79,058 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $67,136 Indiana University - East · $61,327 Kennesaw State University · $86,077 Kent State University at Kent · $62,252 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · $65,010 University of Utah · $99,023 Michigan State University · $54,108 University of Iowa · $87,019 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $82,349 Arkansas Tech University · $40,422 Dakota State University · $41,222 University of Arizona · $78,742 University of Cincinnati · $91,341 West Virginia University · $61,505 Western Oregon University · $63,766 Arizona State University · $87,355 Florida Gulf Coast University · $68,079 University of Montevallo · $62,286 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $67,658 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $66,280 University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg · $64,574 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $62,358 Pennsylvania State University - Abington · $116,013 Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg · $116,013 Idaho State University · $68,398 Lewis-Clark State College · $67,380 Utah Valley University · $70,799 Weber State University · $78,679 Brigham Young University · $98,204 Santa Clara University · $107,882 Azusa Pacific University · $60,267 Loyola University New Orleans · $50,439 William Peace University · $40,001 LeTourneau University · $74,334 Andrews University · $83,509 High Point University · $60,402 Quincy University · $70,197 Biola University · $57,043 Mount St. Joseph University · $68,407 Albright College · $44,395 Sacred Heart University · $67,555 College of Our Lady of the Elms · $72,651 Abilene Christian University · $77,369 Assumption University · $77,665 Loyola University Chicago · $88,110 Baldwin Wallace University · $65,921 Louisiana Christian University · $72,213 University of Dubuque · $45,370 Touro University · $71,190 Emmanuel University · $64,656 Lebanon Valley College · $74,744 Trevecca Nazarene University · $73,609 University of Mount Union · $65,619 Dominican University · $65,433 Samford University · $59,918 University of Findlay · $75,941 Houston Christian University · $54,057 St. John's University - New York · $62,386 Heidelberg University · $53,196 DePaul University · $80,861 Freed-Hardeman University · $54,887 Greensboro College · $48,282 Palm Beach Atlantic University · $57,554 Gwynedd Mercy University · $87,095 Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion · $25,759 Saint Edward's University · $42,871 University of the Incarnate Word · $52,068 Northwest University · $71,774 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $85,603 Grand View University · $53,635 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $85,611 Rochester Institute of Technology · $101,289 Marist University · $71,382 Webster University · $39,589 Champlain College · $65,874 Indiana Institute of Technology · $64,043 Bradley University · $77,888 Long Island University · $71,985 Robert Morris University · $75,570 Lipscomb University · $74,738 Tiffin University · $61,230 Lindenwood University · $50,215 Thomas Jefferson University · $79,131 University of Hartford · $69,320 New York Institute of Technology · $78,449 Butler University · $79,159 Rider University · $65,774 Drexel University · $105,129 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology · $50,855 New England College · $42,323 University of Denver · $67,866 Widener University · $56,996 Colby College · $115,747 Georgia Tech · $155,126 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $153,297 Purdue University · $54,013 University of Maryland, College Park · $83,155 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $144,007 University of Texas at Austin · $132,436 Texas A&M University - College Station · $57,961 New York University · $62,192 University of Southern California · $92,923 University of Miami · $70,172 Northeastern University · $95,088 Worcester Polytechnic Institute · $84,399 Carnegie Mellon University · $135,816 Yale University · $186,169 Tufts University · $125,189 Arts: mean $64,973 Military: mean $88,526 STEM Non-Research: mean $79,178 Female-only: mean $75,024 Liberal Arts: mean $66,734 Public University: mean $72,319 Religious University: mean $65,787 Private University: mean $69,746 Liberal Arts 1–20: mean $115,747 Public University 1–25: mean $111,428 Private University 21–40: mean $80,955 Private University 1–20: mean $149,058 All colleges: p10 $48,127 All colleges: p90 $105,129
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Human-Computer Interaction 178 4,859 62% / 38% 10% $78,578 95%
Informatics 39 1,400 64% / 36% 11% $84,276 95%
Game and Interactive Media Design 48 695 71% / 29% 3% $53,720 95%
Computer Graphics 22 508 49% / 51% 8% $61,402 95%
Computer Game Programming 6 255 81% / 19% 22% $76,585 100%
Human Computer Interaction 11 207 57% / 43% 29% $85,960 96%
Human-Centered Technology Design 4 183 46% / 54% 9% $102,701 96%
Game Design and Development 3 182 85% / 15% 5% $85,761 92%
Game Design 8 175 70% / 30% 14% $63,740 86%
Games and Playable Media 1 147 61% / 39% 4% $65,006 100%
Web Design 14 82 43% / 57% 7% $71,191 100%
Visualization 1 77 40% / 60% 1% $57,961 94%
Computational Media 1 76 33% / 67% 5% $155,126 96%
Human Centered Design and Engineering 1 74 42% / 58% 22% $121,341 93%
Computer Game Science 1 49 80% / 20% 18% $99,965
Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design 5 48 48% / 52% 6% $83,781 85%
Computer Software and Media Applications 4 47 77% / 23% 9% $105,516
Human-Centered Design and Development 1 45 56% / 44% 13% $116,013 95%
Interaction Design 3 43 30% / 70% 60% $103,114 100%
Web and App Development 1 41 51% / 49% 10% $85,603 97%
Digital Narrative and Interactive Design 1 40 48% / 52% 12% $75,781
Web Design and Development 1 40 62% / 38% 0% $81,396 93%
Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences 1 39 79% / 21% 15% $85,611 92%
Games + Simulation 1 37 78% / 22% 3% $94,514
Game Art 1 35 51% / 49% 9% $56,145 85%
Interactive Media and Games 1 28 50% / 50% 14% $79,947 97%
Simulation and Game Design 2 27 78% / 22% 0% $70,594
Human Systems Engineering 1 25 44% / 56% 4% $74,477
New Media Interactive Development 1 25 76% / 24% 0% $111,288 100%
User Experience and Interaction Design 1 23 43% / 57% 4% $105,606
Computing in the Arts 1 21 67% / 33% 0% $51,544 90%
Human Centered Design 1 21 43% / 57% 19% $142,527 100%
Computer Science – Animation and Games 1 16 69% / 31% 0% $98,204
Web Design and Engineering 1 15 47% / 53% 0% $107,882
Game Design and Simulation 1 14 100% / 0% 0% $71,742
Computing and the Arts 1 11 27% / 73% 0% $186,169
Creative Computing 1 11 64% / 36% 9% $66,099
Digital Entertainment Technology 1 11 55% / 45% 9% $77,369
Game Art and Design 1 11 64% / 36% 0% $72,577
Simulation Science, Games, and Animation 1 9 44% / 56% 0% $88,526
Game Development 2 8 75% / 25% 0% $71,100 90%
Computer Game Design 1 8 100% / 0% 0% $41,222 96%
Game and Interactive Media Design (Dev) 1 8 75% / 25% 12% $75,253
Games and Emerging Media 1 8 100% / 0% 12% $86,293
Computing Exploration 1 6 33% / 67% 0% $99,801 93%
Interactive Media and Game Development 1 6 67% / 33% 0% $93,521 100%
Web and Digital Media Management 1 6 17% / 83% 0% $67,658 96%
Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster 1 5 60% / 40% 0% $61,230
UX/UI Design 1 4 100% / 0% 25% $75,924
Game Arts 1 2 50% / 50% 0% $62,146 86%
Web Development 2 1 0% / 100% 0% $65,929
Human Technology Interaction 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $115,213
Human-Computer Interaction 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $135,816 93%
Multimedia Computing 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $70,076
Web and Digital Media Design 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $75,618