How much does a Game Developer make?

The average salary for a Game Developer is $100,916 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 707 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Game Developer employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Game Developer in United States is $130,096 per year.

The lowest salary for a Game Developer in United States is $78,735 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 $10,864.17 in additional earnings.

Your potential salary as a game developer most likely falls in the range of $63,004.48 to $162,896.50, with the average salary for game developers being around $90,052.32. With bonuses or commissions, your estimated total pay could be about $100,916.49. 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.