High School

Take as many computer science classes as possible in high school to build your technical and digital design skills. Recommended courses include computer science, software development, computer programming, computer security, and game design (if it is offered). Art and graphic design classes will help you to develop your creativity. Mathematical concepts comprise the building blocks of game and other digital product design, especially pertaining to 3-D modeling and software programming, so you should also take algebra, trigonometry, calculus, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and applied mathematics. Many Unity developers are self-employed, which means they need to know how to run a business—whether it’s just a one-person shop or they’re managing a team of developers. Useful classes for those who are self-employed include business management, accounting, marketing, writing, and speech.

Postsecondary Education

You do not need a bachelor’s degree to become a Unity developer (especially if you are self-employed), but many companies require their developers to have this credential. Developers often earn degrees in computer science, mathematics, physics, software engineering, game design/development or a related discipline. More than 500 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada offer degrees in game design or in related specialties. As part of their training, most students participate in an internship, cooperative educational experience, or other learning opportunity at a company that uses Unity to develop products in order to obtain valuable hands-on experience.  

A Unity developer who does not have a bachelor’s degree has typically acquired his or her knowledge by downloading the free version of the Unity software and building his or her skills by experimenting with the game engine, taking Unity-related classes via online learning platforms (OLPs) and colleges and universities (for example, Columbia College Chicago offers Game Development with C# and Unity), and participating in other activities that increase their knowledge.

Certification

Some colleges and universities offer certificates in game design, programming languages such as C++, and augmented and virtual reality app development. Contact schools in your area to learn more about available programs. 

Other Education or Training

Unity Technologies offers a wide range of Unity-related courses and tutorials for beginners and advanced developers. Visit https://unity.com/learn/partner-courses for more information. Online learning platforms also offer Unity-related courses. For example, Udemy offers The Ultimate Guide to Game Development with Unity; Unity Game Development Build 2D & 3D Games; and The Unity C# Survival Guide. Finally, professional computing associations such as the International Game Developers Association and the IEEE Computing Society offer in-person classes and webinars in software development, programming, and related topics. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

Unity Technologies offers a variety of certification credentials. Certification exams can be taken online or at one of its global testing centers. There are credentials for people with every experience level. For example, the Unity certified associate credential is designed for students, beginning game developers, and professionals new to Unity. Entry-level to mid-level professionals and graduating college students who want a career creating games and/or real-time content in any industry can earn the Unity certified programmer and Unity certified 3D artist credentials. Unity expert credentials—certified expert gameplay programmer, certified expert technical artist: shading and effects, etc.—are geared toward experienced developers. Other companies also offer Unity certification credentials. For example, Certiport, a provider of performance-based IT certification exams, offers the Unity Certified User: Programmer credential. Visit https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Unity/Certified-User/Overview for more information.

Employers typically require developers to have at least one to two years of experience in lower-level Unity-focused positions, although some firms hire recent college graduates who have completed Unity-related coursework and/or internships. 

Unity developers need both strong technical and soft skills to be successful in their careers. In terms of technical skills, they need a strong knowledge of algorithms and data structures,a mastery of the Unity framework and game development pipeline, C# and/or C++ programming experience within the Unity environment, skill at user experience design and programming, and skill at using other programming languages in their specific field (e.g., gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality).   

Key soft skills for developers include strong attention to detail; the ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage multiple projects at once; top-notch written and verbal communications skills and the ability to present design concepts to engineers, programmers, other developers, management, and customers; good troubleshooting skills; the ability to work both independently and/or cooperatively within a team; and a passion for playing and making games, alternative reality content, or other Unity-powered products.