Entry Level Game Developer Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Game Developer make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry Level Game Developer in the United States is $62,448 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, an Entry Level Game Developer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,439
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,490 to $71,865
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,154
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View as table View as graph 25% $55,490 10% $49,154 90% $80,439 75% $71,865 $62,448 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry Level Game Developer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $71,865 $5,989 $1,382 $35
Average $62,448 $5,204 $1,201 $30
25th Percentile $55,490 $4,624 $1,067 $27
Check out Entry Level Game Developer Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Game Developer Salaries

An Entry Level Game Developer'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Level Game Developer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Game Developer'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): $61,965
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $62,255
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $63,701
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,012
  • Expert (over 8 years): $66,320
Levels Salary
Entry Level Entry Level Game Developer$61,965
Intermediate Level Entry Level Game Developer$62,255
Senior Level Entry Level Game Developer$63,701
Specialist Level Entry Level Game Developer$66,012
Expert Level Entry Level Game Developer$66,320
$61,965 0 yr
$62,255 < 2 yrs
$63,701 2-4 yrs
$66,012 5-8 yrs
$66,320 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Game Developers

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: $78,766
  • San Francisco: $77,903
  • Oakland: $76,261

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Game Developer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.98% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Analysis (Mentioned in 2.65% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • CFA (Mentioned in 1.8% Job Postings): The Chartered Financial Analyst program is a postgraduate professional certification offered internationally by the American-based CFA Institute to investment and financial professional
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.98%
Data Analysis 2.65%
CFA 1.8%
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 an Entry Level Game Developer's salary.
  • CFA: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Career Development: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Actuarial: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
CFA
$72,440
16%
Career Development
$72,440
16%
Actuarial
$72,440
16%
Due Diligence
$71,815
15%
Reinsurance
$71,815
15%
Underwriting
$71,191
14%
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Entry Level Game Developer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Entry Level Game Developer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Insurance and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Entry Level Game Developer positions in Business Services or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Entry Level Game Developer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Entry Level Game Developer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$74,937$36.020%
Financial Services$68,693$33.010%

How Education impacts an Entry Level Game Developer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Entry Level Game Developers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Entry Level Game Developer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $60,781 and $65,758).

Entry Level Game Developer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Entry Level Game Developer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 20.0%
High School 20.0%
Associates 8.0%
Bachelors 56.0%
Masters 16.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Entry Level Game Developer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Game Developer'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Entry Level Game Developer

Salaries for an Entry Level Game Developer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $57,877 in 2023 to around $56,624 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Entry Level Game Developer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Entry Level Game Developer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$57,877
2024
$56,958
2025
$56,624
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $57,877
2024 $56,958
2025 $56,624
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Entry Level Game Developer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Entry Level Game Developer

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Game Developer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Entry Level Game Developer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Entry Level Game Developer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

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    12 Days Ago

  • Maxim Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    Maxim Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Private duty nursing (PDN) allows medically fragile patients to receive quality, skilled nursing care in the comfort of their home: a setting preferred by ... more

    14 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    15 Days Ago

  • Family Dollar

    Columbus, OH

    Family Dollar | Columbus, OH

    Customer Service Associate. We're seeking a Customer Service Associate to join our team and deliver a great shopping experience for every customer. Duties ... more

    17 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    17 Days Ago

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FAQ about Entry Level Game Developer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Entry Level Game Developer?

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Entry Level Game Developer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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