How much does a Game Developer make?

As of March 26, 2024, the average annual pay of Game Developer in the United States is $116,212. While Salary.com is seeing that Game Developer salary in the US can go up to $138,912 or down to $93,199, but most earn between $104,166 and $128,094. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

View Game Developer Salary by Hour, Week, Month, Year

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Game Developer salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about Game Developer hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Game Developer Salaries by Percentile
Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $128,094 $10,674 $2,463 $62
Average $116,212 $9,684 $2,235 $56
25th Percentile $104,166 $8,681 $2,003 $50
25% $104,166 10% $93,199 90% $138,912 75% $128,094 $116,212 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Game Developer jobs in Columbus, Ohio

Welder/Fitter

STORM SEARCH LLC - Barberton, OH

Marketing Web Designer/Developer

LCS - London Computer Systems - Cincinnati, OH

Optical Design Engineer

Volk Optical Inc. - Cleveland, OH

View Game Developer Salary by Experience Levels

An entry-level Game Developer with no related experience makes about $112,257. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level Game Developer makes around $112,616. After 2-4 years, the Game Developer pay rises to about $114,055. Those senior Game Developer with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $119,759, and those Game Developer having 8 years or more experience are expected to earn about $122,419 on average.

Levels Salary
Entry Level Game Developer $112,257
Intermediate Level Game Developer $112,616
Senior Level Game Developer $114,055
Specialist Level Game Developer $119,759
Expert Level Game Developer $122,419
$112,257 0 yr
$112,616 < 2 yrs
$114,055 2-4 yrs
$119,759 5-8 yrs
$122,419 > 8 yrs
Entry Level 3%
Mid Level 3%
Senior Level 2%
Top Level 3%
Experienced 5%
View as Graph

Best Paying States for Game Developer

The states and districts that pay Game Developer the highest salary are District of Columbia (around $129,344) , California (around $128,182) , New Jersey (around $127,368) , Alaska (around $126,555) , Massachusetts (around $126,439), Washington (around $125,277), Connecticut (around $124,812).

States Salary
District of Columbia $129,344
California $128,182
New Jersey $127,368
Alaska $126,555
Massachusetts $126,439
Washington $125,277
Connecticut $124,812

Highest Paying Cities for Game Developer

The metropolitan areas that pay the highest salary in the Game Developer profession are San Jose,CA, San Francisco,CA, Oakland,CA, New York,NY, Queens Village,NY, Paramus,NJ, Passaic,NJ, Bergenfield,NJ, Stamford,CT, and Huntington,NY.

Best-Paid Skills and Qualifications for Game Developer

What skills does a Game Developer need?

Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.

Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.

2.

Application Development: 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.

3.

Futures: Futures are derivative financial contracts obligating the buyer to purchase an asset or the seller to sell an asset at a predetermined future date and set price.

Analysis 6.16%
Application Development 2.89%
Futures 1.77%
Others 89.18%
View as Table

View Game Developer Salary Trends

For those exploring the changing dynamics of Game Developer salaries, Salary.com offers detailed insights through our Job Trending in CA Labor Market analysis. Our research highlights a notable shift in Game Developer compensation over the past six years. For instance, the median salary has moved from $117,743 in 2023 to about $117,257 in 2024 (for a comprehensive analysis of Game Developer salary trends, click here). It's crucial to consider several elements, including geographical location, experience level, industry demand, and economic development, as they play a significant role in influencing salary variations.

Average Annual Salary of Game Developer Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$117,743
2024
$117,257
2025
$116,079

Game Developer Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 $???
2021 $???
2022 $???
2023 $117,743
2024 $117,257
2025 $116,079

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FAQs Regarding Game Developer

1. What is the average salary of a Game Developer?

The average annual salary of Game Developer is $116,212. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Game Developer is $56; the average weekly pay of Game Developer is $2,235; the average monthly pay of Game Developer is $9,684.

2. What does a Game Developer do?

Game Developer performs coding, debugging, testing, configuration, and analysis to develop or modify application programs. Conducts detailed analysis of functional and technical requirements needed to create specifications. Being a Game Developer utilizes programming, scripting, or database language to produce efficient code. Performs unit testing of applications. Additionally, Game Developer produces application documentation, including process and data flow diagrams. Provides support for implementing, enhancing, integrating, and maintaining applications. May require a bachelor's degree or equivalent. Typically reports to a project leader or manager. The Game Developer work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. To be a Game Developer typically requires 4 -7 years of related experience.

3. What’s typical Career Path for Game Developer?

A career path is a sequence of jobs that leads to your short- and long-term career goals. Some follow a linear career path within one field, while others change fields periodically to achieve career or personal goals.

For Game Developer, the first career path typically starts with an Applications Programmer IV position, and then Applications Programmer V.

The second career path typically starts with a Software Architect IV position, and then progresses to Software Architect V.

The third career path typically starts with a Midrange Programmer IV position, and then progresses to Midrange Programmer V.

Additionally, the fourth career path typically progresses to Mobile Applications Development Manager.

4. Where can a Game Developer earn the most?

A Game Developer's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Game Developer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Game Developer is $145,846.

5. What is the highest pay for Game Developer?

The highest pay for Game Developer is $138,912.

6. What is the lowest pay for Game Developer?

The lowest pay for Game Developer is $93,199.