As of August 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Video Game Programmer in Washington, DC is $85,899, equivalent to $41 per hour, $1,652 weekly, or $7,158 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 Washington, DC vary widely, spanning from $76,953 to $98,835. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($81,216) and 75th percentile ($92,670), while top earners (90th percentile) make $98,835 per year. This $11,454 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, Washington Video Game Programmer often earn 0.5% higher than national averages. However, Washington currently ranks 79 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 $76,953 Washington, DC August 01, 2026
25th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $81,216 Washington, DC August 01, 2026
50th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $85,899 Washington, DC August 01, 2026
75th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $92,670 Washington, DC August 01, 2026
90th Percentile Video Game Programmer Salary $98,835 Washington, DC August 01, 2026
25% $81,216 10% $76,953 90% $98,835 75% $92,670 $85,899 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 Washington, DC

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

 
 
 
81216
92670
85899

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
86408
109840
97032
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 Washington, DC. The base salary for Video Game Programmer ranges from $81,216 to $92,670 with the average base salary of $85,899. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $86,408 to $109,840 with the average total cash compensation of $97,032.

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.

81216
92670

 

About Washington, District of Columbia    Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area....More

Washington, District of Columbia  area prices were up 1.3% from a year ago

Video Game Programmer Salary in popular cities:

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