As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Video Game Programmer in Los Angeles, CA is $86,190, equivalent to $41 per hour, $1,658 weekly, or $7,183 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Video Game Programmer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Video Game Programmer in Los Angeles, CA vary widely, spanning from $77,198 to $99,170. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($81,483) and 75th percentile ($92,984), while top earners (90th percentile) make $99,170 per year. This $11,501 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Application Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Los Angeles Video Game Programmer often earn 0.2% higher than national averages. However, Los Angeles currently ranks 69 statewide for Video Game Programmer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Video Game Programmer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $77,198 Los Angeles, CA May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $81,483 Los Angeles, CA May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $86,190 Los Angeles, CA May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $92,984 Los Angeles, CA May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $99,170 Los Angeles, CA May 01, 2026
25% $81,483 10% $77,198 90% $99,170 75% $92,984 $86,190 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Video Game Programmer ?

A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebases for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines, all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer". A game programmer should not be confused with a game designer, who works on game design....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Video Game Programmer.

Job Openings for Video Game Programmer in Los Angeles, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Video Game Programmer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Applications Programmer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Video Game Programmer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
81483
92984
86190

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
86039
109374
96620
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Video Game Programmer in Los Angeles, CA. The base salary for Video Game Programmer ranges from $81,483 to $92,984 with the average base salary of $86,190. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $86,039 to $109,374 with the average total cash compensation of $96,620.

Discover how your pay is adjusted for skills, experience, and other factors

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For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

81483
92984

 

About Los Angeles, California    Los Angeles (/lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ (listen);[a] Spanish: Los Ángeles), officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A., is the most....More

Los Angeles, California  area prices were up 3.2% from a year ago

Video Game Programmer Salary in popular cities: San DiegoSan JoseSan Francisco

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