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Game artist salary
Average game artist salary
$86,932
Understanding Game Artist Salaries
The average salary for a game artist stands at approximately $86,932 annually. This figure reflects a blend of artistic skill and technical proficiency, essential for creating compelling visuals in video games. Experienced game artists typically earn more, with specialized roles in 3D modeling or concept art commanding higher salaries.
Geographic location significantly influences earnings. States like California and Washington often present the highest salary ranges due to the concentration of major gaming studios. Additionally, factors such as educational background and years of experience further impact salary potential.
Salary Trends Over Time
Across the years, game artist salaries have shown a steady increase, reflecting the growing demand for skilled professionals in the gaming industry. As technology evolves, artists who adapt and expand their skill sets can expect favorable compensation.
For those looking to maximize their earning potential, pursuing roles in high-demand areas and continuing education in emerging technologies can offer significant advantages. Explore job opportunities today to begin your career as a game artist.
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Where can a Game Artist earn more?
Game artist salary estimates from across the web
Average game artist salary by state
The highest-paying states for game artists are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average game artist salary states are Missouri, Ohio, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for game artists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $125,560 | $60.37 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $123,572 | $59.41 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $125,036 | $60.11 |
| 4 | California | $105,501 | $50.72 |
| 5 | Washington | $92,106 | $44.28 |
| 6 | Delaware | $120,234 | $57.80 |
| 7 | Maryland | $101,738 | $48.91 |
| 8 | Nevada | $139,300 | $66.97 |
| 9 | Maine | $87,804 | $42.21 |
| 10 | Idaho | $92,278 | $44.36 |
| 11 | New York | $90,130 | $43.33 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $116,378 | $55.95 |
| 13 | Oregon | $85,979 | $41.34 |
| 14 | Michigan | $82,133 | $39.49 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $83,791 | $40.28 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $85,001 | $40.87 |
| 17 | Iowa | $78,085 | $37.54 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $78,316 | $37.65 |
| 19 | Utah | $72,608 | $34.91 |
| 20 | Vermont | $75,209 | $36.16 |
| 21 | Illinois | $85,251 | $40.99 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $70,930 | $34.10 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $78,090 | $37.54 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $68,672 | $33.02 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $77,010 | $37.02 |
| 26 | Kansas | $75,208 | $36.16 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $59,063 | $28.40 |
| 28 | Indiana | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $70,374 | $33.83 |
| 30 | Arizona | $74,797 | $35.96 |
| 31 | Colorado | $75,074 | $36.09 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $77,622 | $37.32 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $70,096 | $33.70 |
| 34 | Texas | $57,268 | $27.53 |
| 35 | Virginia | $62,278 | $29.94 |
| 36 | Alaska | $64,580 | $31.05 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $58,607 | $28.18 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $67,895 | $32.64 |
| 39 | Florida | $61,316 | $29.48 |
| 40 | Georgia | $54,381 | $26.14 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $52,554 | $25.27 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $49,789 | $23.94 |
| 43 | Alabama | $53,039 | $25.50 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $52,525 | $25.25 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $57,636 | $27.71 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $46,682 | $22.44 |
| 47 | Montana | $53,145 | $25.55 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $46,142 | $22.18 |
| 49 | Ohio | $49,810 | $23.95 |
| 50 | Missouri | $51,442 | $24.73 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $43,838 | $21.08 |
Highest paying cities for game artists
The highest-paying cities for game artists are Las Vegas, NV, San Francisco, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $140,632 | $67.61 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $115,470 | $55.51 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $92,820 | $44.63 |
| 4 | Troy, NY | $90,379 | $43.45 |
| 5 | Raleigh, NC | $85,890 | $41.29 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $85,862 | $41.28 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $78,334 | $37.66 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $57,399 | $27.60 |
Game artist salary details
A game artist's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $133,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a game artist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $133,000 | $11,083 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| Average | $86,932 | $7,244 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying game artist jobs
The highest paying types of game artists are interactive designer, visual designer, and animator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
| Motion Graphics Designer | $62,558 | $5,213 | $30.08 | 44,960 |
| Animator | $76,853 | $6,404 | $36.95 | 551 |
| Web Graphic Designer | $52,574 | $4,381 | $25.28 | 51,462 |
| Interactive Designer | $97,929 | $8,161 | $47.08 | 48,136 |
Top companies hiring game artists now:
Which companies pay game artists the most?
Game artist salaries at Amazon and Vicarious are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average game artist salary at companies like Qualcomm and DoubleDown Interactive are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | $124,803 | $60.00 |
| 2 | Vicarious | $112,830 | $54.25 |
| 3 | Qualcomm | $102,131 | $49.10 |
| 4 | DoubleDown Interactive | $99,036 | $47.61 |
| 5 | TinyCo | $95,000 | $45.67 |
| 6 | Jam City | $93,465 | $44.94 |
| 7 | Voodoo | $91,790 | $44.13 |
| 8 | Lumos Labs | $91,782 | $44.13 |
| 9 | Breaktime Studios | $91,419 | $43.95 |
| 10 | Activision Blizzard | $91,347 | $43.92 |
| 11 | Tencent | $91,166 | $43.83 |
| 12 | Kabam | $90,862 | $43.68 |
| 13 | ironSource | $88,501 | $42.55 |
| 14 | Protingent | $85,441 | $41.08 |
| 15 | Perkins&Will | $80,935 | $38.91 |
| 16 | Rpc | $70,443 | $33.87 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Game artist salary trends
The average game artist salary has risen by $18,874 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average game artist earned $68,058 annually, but today, they earn $86,932 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for game artists over the last decade.
Compare game artist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average game artist salary over time
Compare game artist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Game artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,900 | $41.79 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $84,200 | $40.49 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $81,100 | $39.01 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $78,900 | $37.94 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | $73,100 | $35.12 | +2.0% |
Recently added game artist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockstar Games | Gameplay Capture Artist | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $60,000 |
| Blizzard Entertainment | VFX Artist-Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or | Irvine, CA | 05/25/2025 | $62,213 |
| Aditi Consulting | 3D Game Artist | Rapid City, SD | 03/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Zynga, Inc. | Principal Lighting Artist-Echtra Games | Austin, TX | 03/19/2025 | $100,700 |
| Zwift | Game Artist I | Long Beach, CA | 03/07/2025 | $56,500 |
| Snail Games USA | Game Capture Artist | Beverly Hills, CA | 02/25/2025 | $60,000 |
| Iamag Master Class | Game Audio Dialogue Artist | Marina del Rey, CA | 02/18/2025 | $95,000 |
| Gamecompanies | Principal Materials Artist-Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA | 02/17/2025 | $116,800 |
| Jam City | Ui/Ux Game Artist | Burbank, CA | 02/08/2025 | $85,000 |
| Social Gaming Network | Ui/Ux Game Artist | Burbank, CA | 02/07/2025 | $85,000 |
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