What jobs can I get? How much can I get paid?
Degrees and certificates in the Interactive Simulation and Game Technology program may lead to the following jobs or careers:
Special Effects Artist/Animator[1]
$20.68
Entry Hourly Wage
1 This job may require a bachelor's degree or higher. Please
review current job openings and contact your advisor to review your options.
All data gathered for Dallas/Fort Worth. Source: Dallas College Labor Market Intelligence
Interactive computer simulation is a versatile technology, with 3D animation a dynamic medium that can illustrate complex ideas in a short time. Applications include:
- Video game design
- Television and film production
- Medical and scientific simulation
- Industrial animation, particularly in the aeronautic and transportation industries
- Engineering
- Education and government
- Forensics and law
- Architecture and landscaping
- Business and government
Why Is This a Good Career Bet?
A wide range of industry applications, including in high-growth sectors such as health care and IT, gives 3D animation wide-ranging job possibilities. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, projects an increase of 17% in positions for multimedia artists and animators through 2024, and animation is a part of many computer design jobs.
To be successful in the lucrative interactive simulation and game design industry, you’ll need:
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to put your ideas into speech and design
- A teamwork-based work ethic
- Conceptual skills to bring a story from idea to final design
- The capacity to work in a group setting with a collaborative team spirit
- People skills in order to work well with various personalities and a wide variety of ideas
- Willingness to adapt to technological challenges and constant change in industry trends
Job Opportunities
The Dallas area has been a hotbed for computer game development since the late 1980s. It was the birthplace of the first-person shooter genre; Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake were all created by Mesquite-based id software. id software is just one of 80 game development companies in Texas. The industry provides more than 2,000 full-time jobs in the state, according to the
Texas Film Commission, which details the computer and game industry in Texas.
Interactive computer simulation is a versatile technology that goes far beyond its most well-known applications of video gaming, film and television. 3D animation is a dynamic medium that can illustrate complex ideas in a very short time, with uses in:
- Medicine, making videos that educate both medical professionals and patients
- Education, creating understandable visuals of complicated theories
- Forensics and law, recreating incidents and crimes for investigators and attorneys
- Advertising, illustrating products and services with sophisticated visual effects
- Engineering, from design through production in fields that range from aerospace to manufacturing
- Architecture and landscaping, visualizing buildings and outdoor areas
- Business and government, from marketing and websites to employee training and presentations
Game Design Companies in the D/FW Metroplex