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Video game designer salary
Average video game designer salary
$95,185
Average Video Game Designer Salary
The average salary for a video game designer in the United States is approximately $95,185 per year or about $46 per hour. This figure can significantly differ based on several factors, including years of experience, specific skills, and geographic location. For example, entry-level designers may earn around $50,000, while experienced designers can command salaries exceeding $120,000.
Salary by State
In states such as California and Washington, salaries tend to be higher due to the concentration of major gaming companies. For instance, in California, the average salary can reach $110,000, while in Texas, it may be around $90,000. This variation underscores the importance of location in determining salary potential.
Highest Paying Roles
Specific roles within video game design, like lead designer or art director, tend to offer higher salaries. Additionally, positions that require specialized skills in programming or virtual reality design also generally provide better compensation. Understanding these dynamics can help aspiring designers focus their career paths effectively.
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Where can a Video Game Designer earn more?
Video game designer salary estimates from across the web
Average video game designer salary by state
The average video game designer salary in Nevada, Delaware, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average video game designer salary states are Alabama, Iowa, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for video game designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $106,982 | $51.43 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $109,261 | $52.53 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $111,386 | $53.55 |
| 4 | Nevada | $119,434 | $57.42 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $101,229 | $48.67 |
| 6 | Delaware | $112,119 | $53.90 |
| 7 | California | $106,458 | $51.18 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $97,622 | $46.93 |
| 9 | Ohio | $97,974 | $47.10 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $99,993 | $48.07 |
| 11 | Maine | $98,920 | $47.56 |
| 12 | Utah | $93,451 | $44.93 |
| 13 | Idaho | $100,082 | $48.12 |
| 14 | Maryland | $100,825 | $48.47 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $95,737 | $46.03 |
| 16 | Indiana | $100,948 | $48.53 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $98,514 | $47.36 |
| 18 | Texas | $91,038 | $43.77 |
| 19 | Michigan | $88,630 | $42.61 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $97,924 | $47.08 |
| 21 | New York | $93,700 | $45.05 |
| 22 | Alaska | $102,507 | $49.28 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $93,409 | $44.91 |
| 24 | Oregon | $87,218 | $41.93 |
| 25 | Vermont | $91,977 | $44.22 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $91,469 | $43.98 |
| 27 | Colorado | $86,587 | $41.63 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $89,732 | $43.14 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $85,248 | $40.98 |
| 30 | Arizona | $86,666 | $41.67 |
| 31 | Virginia | $84,145 | $40.45 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $88,220 | $42.41 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $84,908 | $40.82 |
| 34 | Missouri | $83,511 | $40.15 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $79,886 | $38.41 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $85,381 | $41.05 |
| 37 | Montana | $83,374 | $40.08 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $81,839 | $39.35 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $81,450 | $39.16 |
| 40 | Illinois | $77,600 | $37.31 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $74,295 | $35.72 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $78,019 | $37.51 |
| 43 | Georgia | $71,688 | $34.47 |
| 44 | Florida | $76,332 | $36.70 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $77,716 | $37.36 |
| 46 | Kansas | $69,981 | $33.64 |
| 47 | Alabama | $73,309 | $35.24 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $74,961 | $36.04 |
| 49 | Iowa | $71,700 | $34.47 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $70,150 | $33.73 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $71,496 | $34.37 |
Highest paying cities for video game designers
The highest-paying cities for video game designers are Loomis, CA, Novato, CA, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loomis, CA | $111,531 | $53.62 |
| 2 | Novato, CA | $111,189 | $53.46 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $110,854 | $53.30 |
| 4 | Kirkland, WA | $107,991 | $51.92 |
| 5 | Redmond, WA | $107,809 | $51.83 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $104,978 | $50.47 |
| 7 | Culver City, CA | $104,953 | $50.46 |
| 8 | Corona, CA | $104,559 | $50.27 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $94,156 | $45.27 |
| 10 | Scottsdale, AZ | $86,942 | $41.80 |
| 11 | West Orange, NJ | $85,217 | $40.97 |
| 12 | Reston, VA | $84,693 | $40.72 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City, OK | $76,251 | $36.66 |
Video game designer salary details
A video game designer's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $160,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a video game designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $160,000 | $13,333 | $77 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $95,185 | $7,932 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying video game designer jobs
The highest paying types of video game designers are lead game designer, senior game designer, and video game developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
| Game Designer | $87,645 | $7,304 | $42.14 | 45,227 |
Top companies hiring video game designers now:
Which companies pay video game designers the most?
Video game designer salaries at Heavy Iron Studios and Take-Two Interactive Software are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average video game designer salary at companies like Riot Games and N3twork are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Iron Studios | $109,477 | $52.63 |
| 2 | Take-Two Interactive Software | $102,883 | $49.46 |
| 3 | Riot Games | $99,306 | $47.74 |
| 4 | N3twork | $98,067 | $47.15 |
| 5 | Prescient Edge | $97,350 | $46.80 |
| 6 | Sony Pictures | $96,900 | $46.59 |
| 7 | Amazon | $88,610 | $42.60 |
| 8 | Hobby Lobby | $47,925 | $23.04 |
| 9 | Smith & Noble | $43,838 | $21.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Video game designer salary trends
The average video game designer salary has risen by $15,581 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average video game designer earned $79,604 annually, but today, they earn $95,185 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for video game designers over the last decade.
Compare video game designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average video game designer salary over time
Compare video game designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Video game designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $95,200 | $45.76 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $92,000 | $44.25 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $90,000 | $43.25 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $88,200 | $42.41 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $86,200 | $41.45 | +1.5% |
Recently added video game designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, Inc. | Video/Motion Designer, Amazon | Seattle, WA | 02/05/2025 | $108,400 |
| Digital Arc Systems, Corp. | Video Game Designer | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/06/2024 | $66,560 |
| Mistold Games Inc. | Video Game Designer | Rosemead, CA | 05/13/2024 | $78,513 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Maryland | 02/22/2024 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Boone, CO | 02/22/2024 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Ione, OR | 02/22/2024 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Enon, VA | 02/22/2024 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Washington, DC | 02/22/2024 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Ione, OR | 12/10/2023 | $58,000 |
| Donorschoose | Video & Motion Designer | Downe, NJ | 12/10/2023 | $58,000 |
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