Your best bet for finding that information would be to look at the post-secondary institute you plan on going to.  A lot do surveys of Grads so they can tell you that XX% of grads found work in their field after graduation.

The year I started it was something like 94% (but that was way inflated as I started in 2001, and the stats were about 2 years old so a shitload got hired for the Y2K thing and the e-commerce boom - that eventually went POP!)

Programmers make good money but much less than they would make if they took any other programming job.

If you're getting into game development for the money you're doing it wrong.

It depends on your own definition of good. If you are aiming to be a game programmer, chances are you will not find a job after you get a degree, unless you are really good or you have a decent portfolio or track record of developing games.

If your motivated and works hard you have 100% chance of finding a job, really.

I agree with twestern. Employees who are only in it for the money in that industry do not last. You have to be REALLY passionate about your job and the gaming industry. Why? Because you'll be working a hell of a lot for pay that isn't even that great! Especially during crunch time (Remember the EA Spouse incident? EA employees during crunch time barely had a life outside their job). Unpaid overtime too since you are on a salary.

I personally had ambitions about working in the gaming industry as a programmer but then I sucked at algebra, geometry, calculus and so that never happened. lol. I see that as a blessing in diguise because while I love videogames, programming bores the shit out of me (well at least the coding and bug fixing part is. The sense of accomplishment at the end feels nice though) and I don't want to work in an industry that treats their workers like shit (long hours with no overtime pay since you are salaries. Job security is non-existant pretty much. So you'll be job hopping a lot, etc). I also tend to be more interested in design than programming but I've never bothered to try to make a video game* because it's difficult to be motivated to put in that much work in something when you aren't getting paid for it.

* (I got bored of RPG Maker in like a couple weeks when I was like 14. rofl Obviously RPGMaker is child's play but hey I was 14, lol. I studied Visual Basic and Java in highschool and tried to learn C++ as a hobby but I gave up on a C++. I was too bored with trying to learn the basics. I was like, "I want to create a RPG now!!!"

I have flirted with the idea of amateur development as a hobby thing to do (The Pier Solar team really inspired me) but there just isn't much cost-benefit to it. As I said, it's difficult to be motivated to put in that kind of investment when you aren't getting paid and you're already tired as it is from school/work. I'd rather use the time to play videogames instead. lol.

I do have some ideas in my head about what kind of games I envision making (even going as far as thinking about mechanics and what not) but ultimately, my ideas of what would make for a great game may seem like utter shit to everyone else. lol. And sometimes your ideas may seem great in your head but then epically fail in executation. For one, I envision creating an old-school turn-based rpg with a focus on combat, dungeon crawling, exploration, challenge, etc. (ie. early 8-bit era Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy before they put in heavy dialogue into these games) but with a modern twist (modernized mechanics, combat system, etc.) But I think that kind of idea would have a very limited appeal seeing as how most jrpg players care about narrative (whereas I care more about gameplay. Hence why I prefer something like Etrian Odyssey to say modern Final Fantasy)

Ultimately there is like virtually zero cost-benefit for me to get into amateur development with a bunch of fellow hobbyists. And given that wannabe designers are a dime a dozen, I know I'd pretty much have to know programming to be taken seriously. Everyone wants to be the designer. It's the cool job.

I'd like to add that even though you may not be using the math you learned directly, math teaches you abstract thinking and problem solving skills.

Working with things like the GECK or Elder Scrolls construction kits definitely helps with experience. You could submit an amazing mod to a company and get a job, people have done it.

There was that guy who did that with the original Doom, can't remember his name for the life of me

OP, I'm a first party Sony game developer, so take that for what you will.

If you're looking at getting into game programming for the money, you're wasting your time. Game developers work extremely long hours during crunch times, you'll never last unless it's your true passion.

Also programming, and game development in general is hard AND completely different than just liking computers and games. Do you like to make mods in games? Do you like to do scripting with programs and in games? If so, you'd be a good game programmer. If you've never done that in your life, might as well forget it man. There are thousands of kids out there that have 10 x the passion. If it is your passion though, the money is good and you'll never worry about money and you'll live a comfortable life...when you aren't working that is. :P

i had a thread like this why did everybody ignore it?