Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between game programmers and computer programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a game programmer and a computer programmer. Additionally, a game programmer has an average salary of $94,000, which is higher than the $70,979 average annual salary of a computer programmer.
The top three skills for a game programmer include unreal engine, game development and math. The most important skills for a computer programmer are C #, java, and javascript.
| Game Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,000 | $70,979 |
| Hourly rate | $45.19 | $34.12 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 186,952 | 205,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
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.
A Computer Programmer is a specialist in writing computer programs as well as mobile applications. In addition to writing and testing code written, they are responsible for installing updates for software, debugging or improving functionality, troubleshooting parts of the program that is not functioning, and rewriting code for computer programs to be compatible in different operating systems. They also work to prevent data leaks and breaches in security by identifying malicious software and building firewalls.
Game programmers and computer programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Average salary | $94,000 | $70,979 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $134,000 | Between $55,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a game programmer and a computer programmer in terms of educational background:
| Game Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Chicago |
Here are the differences between game programmers' and computer programmers' demographics:
| Game Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |