Serious Games Programmer Salary in the United States

How much does a Serious Games Programmer make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Serious Games Programmer in the United States is $73,581 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Serious Games Programmer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $84,764
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,512 to $79,434
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $65,807
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View as table View as graph 25% $69,512 10% $65,807 90% $84,764 75% $79,434 $73,581 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Serious Games Programmer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $79,434 $6,620 $1,528 $38
Average $73,581 $6,132 $1,415 $35
25th Percentile $69,512 $5,793 $1,337 $33
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Key Factors That Influence Serious Games Programmer Salaries

A Serious Games Programmer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Serious Games Programmer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Serious Games Programmer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $73,150
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $95,528
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $122,925
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $144,063
  • Expert (over 8 years): $167,426
Levels Salary
Serious G... Level Serious Games Programmer$73,150
Applicati... Level Serious Games Programmer$95,528
Applicati... Level Serious Games Programmer$122,925
Applicati... Level Serious Games Programmer$144,063
Applicati... Level Serious Games Programmer$167,426
$73,150 0 yr
$95,528 < 2 yrs
$122,925 2-4 yrs
$144,063 5-8 yrs
$167,426 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Serious Games Programmer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Serious Games Programmers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $81,469.
  • California: $81,160.
  • Massachusetts: $80,078.

Top Paying Cities for Serious Games Programmers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $92,807
  • San Francisco: $91,791
  • Oakland: $89,857

What Skills Can Increase a Serious Games Programmer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 6.43% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Application Development (Mentioned in 2.53% Job Postings): Application development may refer to: Mobile application development ("app development") or the process of developing desktop application software. Mobile app development is the act or process by which a mobile app is developed for mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. These applications can be pre-installed on phones during manufacturing platforms, or delivered as web applications using server-side or client-side processing (e.g., JavaScript) to provide an "application-like" experience within a Web browser.
  • CSS (Mentioned in 1.7% Job Postings): Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in a markup language such as HTML or XML. CSS is a cornerstone technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and JavaScript.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 6.43%
Application Development 2.53%
CSS 1.7%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Serious Games Programmer's salary.
  • Python: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Java: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Python
$80,203
9%
Products and Services
$78,731
7%
Java
$78,731
7%
Collaboration
$77,996
6%
Leadership
$77,996
6%
Agile
$77,996
6%
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Serious Games Programmer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Serious Games Programmer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 65% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 35% above the average. In contrast, Serious Games Programmer positions in Construction or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Serious Games Programmer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Serious Games Programmer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$99,334$48.035%
Financial Services$95,655$46.030%
Biotechnology$91,976$44.025%
Pharmaceuticals$88,297$42.020%
Energy & Utilities$84,618$41.015%

Serious Games Programmer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Serious Games Programmer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Serious Games Programmer

Salaries for a Serious Games Programmer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $78,506 in 2023 to around $77,822 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Serious Games Programmer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Serious Games Programmer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$78,506
2024
$78,301
2025
$77,822
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $78,506
2024 $78,301
2025 $77,822
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Serious Games Programmer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Serious Games Programmer

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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