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The differences between game engineers and game programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a game engineer, becoming a game programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a game engineer has an average salary of $104,976, which is higher than the $94,000 average annual salary of a game programmer.
The top three skills for a game engineer include unity, python and game engine. The most important skills for a game programmer are unreal engine, game development, and math.
| Game Engineer | Game Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,976 | $94,000 |
| Hourly rate | $50.47 | $45.19 |
| Growth rate | 21% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 242,571 | 186,952 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
The main task of a game engineer is to design software programs for computer games. Game engineers develop gaming networks and programs for third-party-usage. They create the mechanics of the games, which are coordinated with a story. Also called specialized software engineers, they create coding sequences for gameplay. They may need to establish various codes for gaming devices. The skills they need include knowledge of gaming trends, teamwork skills, programming language proficiency, and creativity.
A game programmer is a type of software engineer who works in the gaming industry. They write code for games and work closely with other departments like game design and animation. If they are the lead programmer, they may be expected to assign jobs and manage the whole development process. If they are not the lead, they may be expected to develop codes so the game has 2D and 3D graphics.
Game engineers and game programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Engineer | Game Programmer | |
| Average salary | $104,976 | $94,000 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $152,000 | Between $65,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a game engineer and a game programmer in terms of educational background:
| Game Engineer | Game Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between game engineers' and game programmers' demographics:
| Game Engineer | Game Programmer | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.3% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 19.4% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |