Game Development Salaries in 2018
According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a game developer in the United States is $79,000 per year. This number can vary depending on factors such as experience, location, and job title. For example, an experienced game designer with over 5 years of experience may earn a higher salary than a junior programmer who has just started out in the field.
Job Titles and Salaries
There are many different job titles within the field of game development, each with their own salary range. Here are some examples:
- Game Designer: The average base salary for a game designer in the United States is $90,000 per year.
- Lead Programmer: The average base salary for a lead programmer in the United States is $120,000 per year.
- Art Director: The average base salary for an art director in the United States is $130,000 per year.
It’s important to note that these salaries are just averages and can vary widely depending on a number of factors. For example, an art director at a small indie studio may earn less than an art director at a large AAA studio.
Real-Life Examples
To give you a better understanding of how much game developers make in 2018, let’s look at some real-life examples.
- John Smith is a junior programmer who has just started out in the field. He is working for a small indie studio located in the Midwest. His base salary is $60,000 per year.
- Jane Doe is an experienced game designer with over 10 years of experience. She works for a large AAA studio located in San Francisco. Her base salary is $150,000 per year.
- Mark Johnson is the lead programmer at a mid-sized game studio located in New York City. His base salary is $125,000 per year.
Comparing Salaries Across Years
In order to get a better understanding of how salaries in game development have changed over time, we can look at data from previous years. According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a game developer in the United States was $78,000 in 2017 and $75,000 in 2016.
This shows that salaries in game development have been steadily increasing over the past few years. This trend is likely to continue as demand for skilled game developers continues to grow.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about game developer salaries:
- What is the average salary for a game developer? The average base salary for a game developer in the United States is $79,000 per year.
- How does location affect salaries in game development? In cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles, where many game studios are located, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living and competition for talent.
