How much does a Game Developer make in California?
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$117K
/yrThe estimated total pay for a Game Developer is $117,238 per year in the California area, with an average salary of $104,484 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $12,754 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $91K-$151K/yr?
Related Job Titles
For Game Developer in California
Some related job titles are 3D Artist Salaries with median pay of $77,238, C/C++ Programmer Salaries with median pay of $144,025, Game Designer Salaries with median pay of $119,725, Game Programmer Salaries with median pay of $129,639.
Top Paying Companies
For a Game Developer in California
Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Game Developer in California. Employers include Electronic Arts, AppLovin and Riot Games.
Top Paying Companies
For Game Developer in California
| 1 | Electronic Arts | $158,997 | |
| 2 | AppLovin | $145,086 | |
| 3 | Riot Games | $136,727 | |
| 4 | Activision Blizzard | $113,225 | |
| 5 | Heavy Iron Studios | $98,216 | |
| 6 | Tynker | $90,692 |
What are total pay estimates for a Game Developer at different companies in California?
- Popular
- Most Reports
- Salary: high to low
- Salary: low to high
$98,216
/ yr
$158,997
/ yr
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$99,997
/ yr
$160,728
/ yr
$104,923
/ yr
$99,374
/ yr
$116,082
/ yrGame Developer in California Salaries
Top Paying Industries
For a Game Developer in California
The top 3 paying industries for a Game Developer in California are Information Technology with a median total pay of $145,086, Media & Communication with a median total pay of $124,976 and Education with a median total pay of $90,692.
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Engineering?
Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.
Game Developer pay FAQ in California
The average salary for a Game Developer is $117,238 per year in California. Salaries estimates are based on 708 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Game Developer employees in California.
The highest salary for a Game Developer in California is $151,168 per year.
The lowest salary for a Game Developer in California is $91,455 per year.
If you are thinking of becoming a Game Developer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Game Developer.
Game developers are paid well above average, often receiving six-figure salaries. The pay range reflects the demand for their skillset and the profitability of the products they develop. Candidates with prior experience in the field or higher levels of education generally receive higher salaries. Pay is expected to grow as the digital transformation reaches a global level. Game developers can further increase their total pay by pursuing freelance consulting opportunities.
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Anonymous ratings collected by Glassdoor indicate that 71% of game developers are satisfied with their current salary. Game developers may earn profit sharing and bonuses from successful games, which can add up to around $12,754.08 in additional earnings.
Your potential salary as a game developer most likely falls in the range of $73,173.43 to $189,311.14, with the average salary for game developers being around $104,484.11. With bonuses or commissions, your estimated total pay could be about $117,238.19. As you continue along your career path as a game developer and gain experience, your pay rate may increase over time.
Making more money in a game development career likely means enhancing your skills and learning new ones. Advancing your education and earning a higher degree in a related field, such as a master's or doctorate in computer science or programming, may increase your salary potential. In technology-dependent fields like game development, it's important to stay up to date with current technology and programs. Keeping ahead of the curve will increase your value in a fast-moving field. Try learning C++ and Java, then keeping up with any updates or changes to those languages.
When negotiating salary at a new game developer job, take into account the skills you have and the benefits you want. Use give-and-take phrasing, like "seeing as your company would benefit from these skills, [your desired benefits and salary] would be a fair agreement." Remember, the goal is to find something that works for both parties. If you're negotiating your salary in your current game developer position, use any projects you've worked on to help demonstrate why you've earned a higher salary. Commercial success from any games you've worked on is a great point to include, as it demonstrates value you've already brought the company.