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The differences between software developers and game developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a software developer and a game developer. Additionally, a game developer has an average salary of $91,009, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a software developer include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a game developer are unity, game development, and game engine.
| Software Developer | Game Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,521 | $91,009 |
| Hourly rate | $42.08 | $43.75 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 294,329 | 173,596 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Game developers are professionals who are responsible for designing and producing video games for computers, mobile devices, or game consoles by taking the concept of video game designers and turning them into playable games. By using their background in software development and mathematics, game developers must work with teams to create visual content for a game and writing code to implement all the game's features and functionality. They are required to handle new game feature requests and make improvements to the game even after production. Game developers must also demonstrate their skills in artificial programming intelligence for non-player characters.
Software developers and game developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Developer | Game Developer | |
| Average salary | $87,521 | $91,009 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $113,000 | Between $64,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software developer and a game developer in terms of educational background:
| Software Developer | Game Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software developers' and game developers' demographics:
| Software Developer | Game Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |