Game Devs Will Earn $51k This Year (On Average)

[John Funk]

Game Devs Will Earn $51k This Year (On Average)

How well does game development pay the bills?

It's one of the perennial annoyances of writing about games: Games are ridiculously expensive to make, but nobody outside of the business (or hell, few people inside the business) knows just how all that money breaks down. How much of it is technology, how much of it is overhead; how much is spent on licensing fees, marketing, and the like? Without companies like EA and Activision publishing their books (which they'd never do), we'll probably never know.

We can, however, get a sense for how well the game developers themselves are paid thanks to industry surveys. A study carried out by Develop [http://www.develop-online.net/news/36851/Revealed-Average-dev-wages-stall-at-32k] and MVC surveyed 298 game makers from around the world to find out how much money they made. Really, guys, you couldn't find two more for an even 300?

According to their research, the average game developer is expected to earn $50,935 (£32,203) in 2011. This is very slightly up from last year, where the average wage was $50,557 (£31,964). While it is an increase, it isn't quite keeping up with inflation, Develop found - incorporating inflation calculations from the Consumer Price Index, Develop concluded that average wages in 2011 should have been roughly around $51,568 (£32,603). Sure, it's only a difference of $600, but those six hundred bucks could go a long way for someone trying to pay the bills.

For the curious, here's how the survey broke down for average annual salary based on position:

[blockquote]ART
Lead Artist - $58,522 (£37,000)
Artist - $42,399 (£26,806)

CODING
Lead Programmer - $63,201 (£39,958)
Programmer - $43,363 (£27,416)
Junior Programmer - $31,069 (£19,643)

AUDIO
Lead Audio Roles - $71,492 (£45,200)
Junior Audio Roles - $43,496 (£27,500)

PRODUCTION
Lead Producer (Internal) - $65,640 (£41,500)
Producer (Internal) - $49,341 (£31,195)
Producer (External/publishing) - $66,826 (£42,250)*

DESIGN
Lead Designer - $53,777 (£34,000)
Designer - $38,553 (£24,375)
Junior - $34,457 (£21,785)

*External Producer salary can rise to $72,758 (£46,000) depending on publisher size.[/blockquote]

I suppose the lesson here is to get into audio technology, huh?

In all seriousness, I can't help but feel that these salaries seem a bit on the low side of things with as big an industry as this is. Then again, the videogame industry is also a very highly competitive space, and every single person working at a company knows that there are twenty thousand kids graduating college every year that would love to take their place.

Are these salaries lower than you thought? Or are they higher?

(Eurogamer [http://www.develop-online.net/news/36851/Revealed-Average-dev-wages-stall-at-32k])

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[Heart of Darkness]

I think these salaries are closer to the entry level side of things--but, then again, averages, so yeah. Although I am pretty sure that artists, programmers, and designers could be making close to six figures a year after six years, but my numbers on that front are probably a little dated, and I'm not entirely certain of their accuracy.

EDIT: Derp, misread the article. I missed everything pertaining to the "Lead"s. >.<

 

[JerrytheBullfrog]

I think these salaries are closer to the entry level side of things--but, then again, averages, so yeah. Although I am pretty sure that artists, programmers, and designers could be making close to six figures a year after six years, but my numbers on that front are probably a little dated, and I'm not entirely certain of their accuracy.

How do you have an entry-level salary for "Lead Designer" or "Producer"?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Where's the salary for a game writer? You know, the one that comes up with the story and dialogue. That's what I want to do, as I have no skill with any other department listed there.

EDIT: Sigh...thanks to everyone who brought my hopes crashing down.

 

[Heart of Darkness]

I think these salaries are closer to the entry level side of things--but, then again, averages, so yeah. Although I am pretty sure that artists, programmers, and designers could be making close to six figures a year after six years, but my numbers on that front are probably a little dated, and I'm not entirely certain of their accuracy.

How do you have an entry-level salary for "Lead Designer" or "Producer"?

Oh, whoops. I forgot those were there. >.< Deeeerrrrrrrrpppp.

 

[Tiamat666]

I had expected the salaries for the leads to be higher. And the designer salaries to exceed programmer salaries.

 

[CaptainKoala]

Holy crap! Where do I sign up to be a lead audio role?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Holy mother of god...they're rich!

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

The games industry is a sewer that thrives chewing up young enthusiastic fresh out developers and spitting them out as burned out shells at 26.

Developers are generally better off working a cushy private industry or government job making twice that and making games as a hobby. Just remember hopeful youngsters, you are working 100 hour weeks and cashing accepting piddling wages so your CEO can afford to do another line off that hooker's gazongas and so your stockholders can get an extra 5% dividend.

Sweet dreams!

 

[Da Joz]

Not bad but I'm making more than all of these guys straight out of college with an engineering degree.

 

[JuliusMagnus]

I suppose the lesson here is to get into audio technology, huh?

Isn't it that the audio departments are smaller? One to three people I expect in a 100 people team. (I've never heard of dozens of audio people working at one developer). That means that while programmers or artists are needed in dozens the competition to get the best audio people is a tight one.
You probably get higher pay but it is harder to find an open position.

In all seriousness, I can't help but feel that these salaries seem a bit on the low side of things with as big an industry as this is. Then again, the videogame industry is also a very highly competitive space, and every single person working at a company knows that there are twenty thousand kids graduating college every year that would love to take their place.

Are these salaries lower than you thought? Or are they higher?

I actually think they are higher than I expected, but I forgot they are averages. That means a few people might make significantly more while a bunch makes significantly less.

If there are thousands of eager 'replacements' lining up that would actually allow their pay to be less.
[/quote]

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Where's the salary for a game writer? You know, the one that comes up with the story and dialogue. That's what I want to do, as I have no skill with any other department listed there.

That would fall into the 'Design' section with some collaboration with the 'Audio' side of things. Though tbh without some technical skill you're unlikely to get taken on, even guys who aren't directly involved with the mechanics need to have at least some familiarity with coding and programming so you can better assist those who do the bulk of the work. I've talked with industry people before and they essentially told me:

"Everybody has a story idea, that's not special. You need to be able to make it in our medium."

On topic: Outside of the capital, those are all livable wages in the UK. Junior Designers and Coders will most certainly not be living the high life but they'll at least be able to feed themselves and pay the bills.

 

[Corpse XxX]

That was not very much i think..

I make more money than any of them clocking in about 88000 dollars a year beeing a fish farmer..
And you don't really need an education to work where i work.. Though i took 1 year at school and have a diploma in it..

 

[Sieg The Bum]

Not bad but I'm making more than all of these guys straight out of college with an engineering degree.

Not with a B.S. Are you talking Phd?
Which field are you going into that would get more than 72k?

 

[aeroz]

no one developes games to be rich, unless they are stupid. Not only are these numbers far lower then what they'd make in other industries, but game developers are notorious for unpaid overtime (which they can do since its a salary job and thus are paid for work done not hours). There isn't a way out of this either. Even with these low salaries its still difficult to turn a profit with a mainstream game.

 

[Da Joz]

Not bad but I'm making more than all of these guys straight out of college with an engineering degree.

Not with a B.S. Are you talking Phd?
Which field are you going into that would get more than 72k?

Not a Phd, but a masters so that does have a little influence but not a whole lot. I'm in automotive engineering, specifically I will be doing model based design and control integration in hybrids.

 

[Albino Boo]

I'm not sure that the a survey from around the world can be that accurate, without adjusting for cost living. Programmer on £27,416 in the UK is getting a few 1000 more than the national average but thats a small fortune in Poland. The Audio guys get paid more because with their skill sets they can work equally as well in TV and Film.

 

[Actual]

They reflect what I expected. There is very little money in the games industry because it's romanticised, people become coders because they want to make games, which is why you'd make a lot more money if you gave up your dream and worked in a different programming industry.

You can make a comfortable living once you make it to the top but remember that only 1-2 people in each company gets to be at the top, and they don't give those positions away.

 

[tautologico]

Salaries for game developers aren't very good, actually. As a programmer, I know you can always earn more, with similar skills and experience, by working in other industries.

The problem is that there are many good programmers wanting to work on games. This abundance lowers the salaries. I'd imagine the situation is similar in other game-related jobs.

If I wanted to pursue a career as a game programmer I think I'd rather try my hand founding an indie game studio than trying to get jobs in the industry.