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Game developer salary
Average game developer salary
$91,009
Understanding Game Developer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Game Developer stands at $91,009 per year. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographical location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, game developers in states like California and Washington typically earn higher salaries compared to those in other regions.
Highest Paying States: California, New York, and Texas often rank as the top-paying states for game developers due to their vibrant tech and game development ecosystems.
Experience Matters: Entry-level positions may start at lower salaries, but experienced developers can command significantly higher pay. Senior positions and specialized roles, such as lead game designer or technical artist, often come with salaries exceeding $100,000.
Additionally, developers working in high-demand industries, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), may see elevated pay scales.
In conclusion, aspiring game developers should consider location and specialization when evaluating salary potential. Understanding these factors can help in making informed career decisions and expectations.
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Where can a Game Developer earn more?
Game developer salary estimates from across the web
Average game developer salary by state
The average game developer salary in California, Nevada, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average game developer salary states are Hawaii, Alaska, and Illinois.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for game developers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $113,669 | $54.65 |
| 2 | Oregon | $101,456 | $48.78 |
| 3 | Washington | $106,018 | $50.97 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $98,788 | $47.49 |
| 5 | Montana | $90,611 | $43.56 |
| 6 | Idaho | $90,799 | $43.65 |
| 7 | Nevada | $109,539 | $52.66 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $98,224 | $47.22 |
| 9 | Arizona | $94,894 | $45.62 |
| 10 | Arkansas | $86,400 | $41.54 |
| 11 | Maine | $86,544 | $41.61 |
| 12 | Delaware | $87,082 | $41.87 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $83,923 | $40.35 |
| 14 | Utah | $84,062 | $40.41 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $89,353 | $42.96 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $87,463 | $42.05 |
| 17 | Vermont | $82,128 | $39.48 |
| 18 | Texas | $82,095 | $39.47 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $84,005 | $40.39 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $79,770 | $38.35 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $81,242 | $39.06 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $82,114 | $39.48 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $83,222 | $40.01 |
| 24 | Virginia | $81,134 | $39.01 |
| 25 | New York | $90,078 | $43.31 |
| 26 | Missouri | $81,959 | $39.40 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $81,098 | $38.99 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $76,530 | $36.79 |
| 29 | Florida | $82,246 | $39.54 |
| 30 | Georgia | $80,028 | $38.48 |
| 31 | Indiana | $78,211 | $37.60 |
| 32 | Kansas | $76,306 | $36.69 |
| 33 | Ohio | $78,478 | $37.73 |
| 34 | Colorado | $78,025 | $37.51 |
| 35 | Michigan | $77,556 | $37.29 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $79,576 | $38.26 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $75,028 | $36.07 |
| 38 | Maryland | $75,473 | $36.29 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $76,103 | $36.59 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $76,423 | $36.74 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $73,846 | $35.50 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $72,429 | $34.82 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $72,233 | $34.73 |
| 44 | Alabama | $74,286 | $35.71 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $75,124 | $36.12 |
| 46 | Illinois | $69,074 | $33.21 |
| 47 | Alaska | $71,967 | $34.60 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $72,808 | $35.00 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $67,365 | $32.39 |
| 50 | Iowa | $66,924 | $32.17 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $66,697 | $32.07 |
Highest paying cities for game developers
The highest-paying cities for game developers are San Francisco, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Kirkland, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $124,996 | $60.09 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $108,803 | $52.31 |
| 3 | Kirkland, WA | $106,462 | $51.18 |
| 4 | Hillsboro, OR | $101,242 | $48.67 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $98,701 | $47.45 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $98,320 | $47.27 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $90,437 | $43.48 |
| 8 | Newark, NJ | $87,492 | $42.06 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $83,402 | $40.10 |
| 10 | Cary, NC | $82,950 | $39.88 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $82,754 | $39.79 |
| 12 | Miami, FL | $82,628 | $39.73 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $79,902 | $38.41 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $76,590 | $36.82 |
| 15 | Leawood, KS | $76,210 | $36.64 |
| 16 | Madison, WI | $75,881 | $36.48 |
| 17 | Huntsville, AL | $73,680 | $35.42 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $69,288 | $33.31 |
Game developer salary details
A game developer's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $127,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a game developer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $127,000 | $10,583 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| Average | $91,009 | $7,584 | $44 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
Highest paying game developer jobs
The highest paying types of game developers are lead software developer, ios developer, and developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development Team Member | $27,071 | $2,256 | $13.02 | 389,951 |
| Mobile Applications Developer | $99,257 | $8,271 | $47.72 | 252,254 |
| Developer/Consultant | $98,508 | $8,209 | $47.36 | 257,985 |
| Software Developer Internship | $38,480 | $3,207 | $18.50 | 314,860 |
| Front End Developer | $92,147 | $7,679 | $44.30 | 124,876 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
Top companies hiring game developers now:
Which companies pay game developers the most?
Game developer salaries at Microsoft and Amazon are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average game developer salary at companies like Robot Entertainment and Sony Interactive Entertainment America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $135,535 | $65.16 |
| 2 | Amazon | $134,524 | $64.67 |
| 3 | Robot Entertainment | $114,785 | $55.19 |
| 4 | Sony Interactive Entertainment America | $105,419 | $50.68 |
| 5 | Intel | $103,821 | $49.91 |
| 6 | DoubleDown Interactive | $102,428 | $49.24 |
| 7 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $101,647 | $48.87 |
| 8 | Globant | $97,794 | $47.02 |
| 9 | Big Fish Games | $97,707 | $46.97 |
| 10 | Voodoo | $97,380 | $46.82 |
| 11 | Kabam | $97,108 | $46.69 |
| 12 | Versus Systems | $96,918 | $46.60 |
| 13 | Rosetta Stone | $95,800 | $46.06 |
| 14 | ICONMA | $95,509 | $45.92 |
| 15 | Qualcomm | $95,128 | $45.73 |
| 16 | Fuel Services | $94,313 | $45.34 |
| 17 | Epoch.com | $93,982 | $45.18 |
| 18 | Heavy Iron Studios | $93,909 | $45.15 |
| 19 | Tencent | $93,317 | $44.86 |
| 20 | Everi Holdings | $92,458 | $44.45 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Game Developer salary by industry
The average game developer salary varies across industries:
- The average game developer salary in the finance industry is $93,318, the highest of any industry.
- The average game developer salary in the finance industry is $91,873.
- Game developers in the start-up industry earn an average salary of $89,569, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for game developers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $93,318 | $44.86 |
| 2 | Internet | $91,873 | $44.17 |
| 3 | Technology | $91,000 | $43.75 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $90,489 | $43.50 |
| 5 | Start-up | $89,569 | $43.06 |
High paying game developer jobs
Game developer salary trends
The average game developer salary has risen by $16,895 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average game developer earned $74,114 annually, but today, they earn $91,009 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for game developers over the last decade.
Compare game developer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average game developer salary over time
Compare game developer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Game developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $91,000 | $43.75 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $88,000 | $42.31 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $86,000 | $41.35 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $84,500 | $40.62 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $83,100 | $39.94 | +1.8% |
Recently added game developer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Informa Group Plc | Product and Growth Director-Game Developers Conference | Santa Monica, CA | 06/27/2025 | $150,000 |
| Informa Festivals | Customer Success Specialist, Game Developers Conference | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $55,000 |
| Anduril Industries | Game Developer-Sensor Simulation | Costa Mesa, CA | 06/26/2025 | $138,000 |
| Prosum | SR. Game Developer (Unreal Engine) | Beverly Hills, CA | 06/24/2025 | $140,000 |
| Swoon | 3D Game Developer | Rapid City, SD | 06/24/2025 | $41,740 |
| Minine Inc. | Unity Mobile Game Developer | Irvine, CA | 06/17/2025 | $50,400 |
| Rec Room | Game Developer | Seattle, WA | 06/11/2025 | $128,502 |
| Club | Pro Player Development | Scottsdale, AZ | 06/10/2025 | $37,566 |
| Club | Pro Player Development | Mansfield, TX | 06/10/2025 | $37,566 |
| Anduril Industries | Game Developer, Sensor Simulation | Seattle, WA | 06/09/2025 | $138,000 |
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