2. University of California, Irvine — Irvine, CA
UC Irvine was the first public university to create an official esports program. The school viewed an esports program as both a practical extension of its successful computer game science major and the thriving gaming community. Up and running in fall 2016, UC Irvine’s esports program now offers several scholarships.
3. Maryville University — St. Louis, MO
In 2021, Maryville was named Esports Collegiate Program of the Year. The school’s League of Legends team also won national championships in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Maryville’s esports program includes a high-performing League of Legends team and a nationally ranked Overwatch team, with former Maryville players and esports professionals serving as coaches.
4. University of Utah — Salt Lake City, UT
In fall 2017, the University of Utah became one of the largest U.S. universities to offer varsity esports. The U currently supports teams in Hearthstone, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League. In addition to a highly competitive esports program, The U maintains a rich gaming history and has offered a video game development degree since 2007.
5. Illinois Wesleyan University — Bloomington, IL
Illinois Wesleyan University supports over 20 varsity sports teams and began offering esports in fall 2018. The institution, which recruits top gamers and offers scholarships to the most talented esports players, maintains teams in League of Legends, Rocket League, Overwatch, Fortnite, and Super Smash Bros.
Visit the BestColleges ranking to round out the top 10.
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