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The differences between game programmers and interactive developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a game programmer, becoming an interactive developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a game programmer has an average salary of $94,000, which is higher than the $89,875 average annual salary of an interactive developer.
The top three skills for a game programmer include unreal engine, game development and math. The most important skills for an interactive developer are UI, javascript, and user interface.
| Game Programmer | Interactive Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,000 | $89,875 |
| Hourly rate | $45.19 | $43.21 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 13% |
| Number of jobs | 186,952 | 169,948 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 47 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
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.
Interactive developers are considered as the new software engineer breed. They function as a part programmer, part audio/video editor, and part designer interested in 3D technologies. Their responsibilities include developing and creating a website, searching for a site, and programming languages. It is expected from them to work with the other UX team members like developers, engineers, and researchers. They are equipped with skills in creating animations, Javascript, and other technologies based on the web.
Game programmers and interactive developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Programmer | Interactive Developer | |
| Average salary | $94,000 | $89,875 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $134,000 | Between $69,000 And $116,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a game programmer and an interactive developer in terms of educational background:
| Game Programmer | Interactive Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | - |
Here are the differences between game programmers' and interactive developers' demographics:
| Game Programmer | Interactive Developer | |
| Average age | 47 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 69.7% Female, 30.3% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 15.8% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |