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The differences between game engineers and software engineers 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 engineer and a software engineer. Additionally, a game engineer has an average salary of $104,976, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a game engineer include unity, python and game engine. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Game Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,976 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $50.47 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 242,571 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Game engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,976 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $152,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a game engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Game Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between game engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Game Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |