Professional video gaming, also known as esports, is taking off at universities across the country, and according to researchers, an estimated 30 million Americans will watch esports this year. To take advantage of the booming industry, some universities are spending thousands – in some cases, millions – of dollars on building new esports facilities.
Administrators at Illinois Tech said esports have since exploded on campus, prompting plans to expand the program's facility. April Welch, director of esports at Illinois Tech, said a majority of the program's players are majoring in computer science or business, and their video game experience applies to a wide range of jobs. "There are content creators, coaches, psychologists, all the jobs that you would think about," Welch said.
According to Esports Insider, players at the top level can be paid millions per year by their organization. The player's income can depend on how many fans are watching the game. In the game VALORANT, many players earn between $20,000 and $40,000 per month, according to Digiday. Isaiah Perez, Illinois Tech's Esports and Digital Arts program coordinator, said merit scholarships of around $5,000 per year are typically offered by the university when it is recruiting players.