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The differences between game developers and mobile applications developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a game developer and a mobile applications developer. Additionally, a mobile applications developer has an average salary of $99,257, which is higher than the $91,009 average annual salary of a game developer.
The top three skills for a game developer include unity, game development and game engine. The most important skills for a mobile applications developer are java, C++, and mobile development.
| Game Developer | Mobile Applications Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,009 | $99,257 |
| Hourly rate | $43.75 | $47.72 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 173,596 | 252,254 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Game developers are professionals who are responsible for designing and producing video games for computers, mobile devices, or game consoles by taking the concept of video game designers and turning them into playable games. By using their background in software development and mathematics, game developers must work with teams to create visual content for a game and writing code to implement all the game's features and functionality. They are required to handle new game feature requests and make improvements to the game even after production. Game developers must also demonstrate their skills in artificial programming intelligence for non-player characters.
A mobile application developer is responsible for designing programming applications for mobile devices according to clients' specifications and business demands. Mobile application developers must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as computer system commands to develop efficient scripts and smooth navigation of operating systems. They analyze the clients' needs and recommend application solutions within their budget limitations and timeframe. A mobile application developer identifies inconsistencies and glitches with the output before submission to ensure its stability and optimal performance.
Game developers and mobile applications developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Developer | Mobile Applications Developer | |
| Average salary | $91,009 | $99,257 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $127,000 | Between $75,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a game developer and a mobile applications developer in terms of educational background:
| Game Developer | Mobile Applications Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between game developers' and mobile applications developers' demographics:
| Game Developer | Mobile Applications Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% | Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |