Video Game Developer Salary: Your 2025 Guide

Video game developers develop the software that runs behind the game’s visuals, including the code to make the game run successfully. Gaming is big business, and the industry continues to grow. In fact, experts predict a growth in revenue of $216.3 billion between 2024 and 2029 in the gaming segment of the media market [1]. 

Working in this in-demand field brings higher-than-average salaries and an excellent job outlook [2]. However, the salary you take home is influenced by a number of factors. Discover a video game developer salary with variations according to the company you work for, where you live, and your own skills, experience, and qualifications. 

What is a video game developer?

As a video game developer, you write and input the code and programming that make video games come together and become playable. You work on back-end development to create game components and ensure usability. While you may work on some design and visual elements, usually you work closely with a game designer who creates the visuals that you code for input into virtual worlds. 

What is the average annual video game developer salary?

According to several job listing websites, the average annual salary for a video game developer ranges from $75,693 to $130,160. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists the median annual salary for software developers in general at $130,160 per year, while other sources list specific video game developer salaries slightly lower. The salary data ranges taken from five top job listing sites are as follows [2,3,4,5]: 

*All salary data as of January 2025

However, the exact salary you earn depends on several factors, such as the company and industry you work for, where you live, your qualifications, and your level of experience.

Factors that affect salary

The average annual video game developer salary might change depending on certain variables. Your experience and education play an important role in how much pay you receive, with more experience and a higher level of education leading to higher salaries. Where you work is also a consideration, and some industries pay higher salaries than others, as do some cities and states. 

Education

Your level of education plays a part in your game developer salary. According to Zippia, most video game developers hold a bachelor's degree at 75 percent, with 11 percent opting for a master’s degree and 10 percent opting for an associate degree. Some game developers opt for taking specialist courses such as certifications relevant to programming in the gaming industry.

Zippia also reports education has a strong effect on your video game developer pay, with employees with doctorate degrees in the field receiving significantly more money than those with a bachelor’s degree alone [4]. 

• Bachelor’s degree: $89,013

• Master’s degree: $97,928

• Doctorate degree: $107,042

Experience

Working in a job over time and participating in professional development is an excellent way to improve your salary. Generally, the more experience you have, the higher your salary. According to Glassdoor, the base salary for a video game developer is incremental as follows [3]:

Job title

Your experience as a video game developer can produce opportunities to work in similar roles or to advance into leadership roles. Different job titles can also have an effect on your salary, even if the job description is actually very similar, as these examples with salaries from Glassdoor show:

• Game engineer: $111,883 [6]

• Software engineer: $118,078 [7]

• Software developer: $103,938 [8]

• Lead game developer: $107,482 [9]

• Senior game developer: $113,983 [10]

Industry

As a video game developer, you can search for employment in the private and public sectors, and in government agencies. Within these, you can choose from industries such as education, technology, media, health, hospitality, and manufacturing. The industry you choose may have a bearing on the salary you receive. According to the BLS, the top-paying industries for software developers in general are as follows [2]:

• Software publishers: $143,210

• Manufacturing: $138,100

• Finance and insurance: $132,900

• Management and consultancy: $131,370

• Computer system design: $127,880

Company

You’ll find some well-known companies hiring video game developers, such as SEGA, Sony, and Electronic Arts, as well as smaller companies and public sector departments. According to Zippia, some of the top-paying companies hiring game developers and their salaries include [4]:

• Microsoft: $135,535

• Amazon: $134,524

• Robot Entertainment: $114,785

• Sony Interactive Entertainment: $105,419

• Intel: $103,821

Location

Geographic profiles show that even in the same job, you may receive a different salary, depending on where in the country you live and work. As a software developer, which includes game developers, the top-paying metropolitan areas are as follows [4]:

Video game developer job outlook

Video game development is a growing industry, and game developers are in demand, and competition is high. According to the BLS, the job outlook is excellent, predicting a 17 percent increase between now and 2033. This amounts to around 140,100 software development job openeings per year on average, which includes game developer roles [2]. If you’re looking for a video developer position and want to ensure you secure a role with a good salary, make sure you put together a solid portfolio of your work. 

Get started as a video game developer on Coursera

Video game developers are in high demand and command higher-than-average salaries. 

To maximize your earning potential, consider upgrading your software development skills with an online course. You’ll find a range of Professional Certificates on Coursera, including the IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate and the Meta Back End Developer Professional Certificate.