Video Game Industry Salaries by Role
- The median (not mean/average) video game industry salary is $172,000 (middle half $127,500–$220,000), based on 1,193 disclosed-pay US job postings over the last 12 months as of September 2026, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
- Outside California, the median is $134,800 (middle half $106,300–$165,000) from 256 US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
- Game developers (programmers and engineers) report a median salary of $208,000 from 672 US postings — see the full Game Developer salary page.
- Game designers report a median salary of $141,400 (middle half $110,800–$174,600) from 98 US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
- California has the highest median game industry salary among US states with enough disclosed pay: $200,000 from 720 postings.
Looking for programmer/engineer pay specifically? See Game Developer salaries — also searched as “game programmer salary.” This page covers every discipline that makes games — engineering, design, art & animation, production, QA, audio, and narrative/writing.
Outside California: $134,800 median (256 postings). 60% of the postings behind these figures are in California, where pay-transparency law makes disclosure mandatory and pay runs higher — so the California-weighted median sits above national estimates.
Salary by Role
| Role | Median | Middle half (25th–75th pct) | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Developer | $208,000 | $159,000–$249,500 | 672 |
| Game Designer | $141,400 | $110,800–$174,600 | 98 |
| Game Artist & Animator | $134,200 | $100,000–$159,600 | 179 |
| Game Producer | $157,300 | $111,200–$208,300 | 196 |
| Video Game Tester (QA) | $100,700 | $76,200–$124,200 | 16 |
| Game Writer | $117,200 | $81,300–$138,700 | 16 |
| Game Audio & Composer | $97,300 | $89,400–$151,300 | 16 |
Video game tester (QA) salary
QA roles that disclose pay have a median salary of $100,700 across 16 US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data. Most of those postings are senior QA analysts, QA engineers, leads and managers; entry-level tester jobs are usually hourly contract roles that rarely disclose pay, so this figure is not representative of starting tester pay.
Salary by Experience Level
| Level | Median | Middle half (25th–75th pct) | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern | $72,800 | $72,800–$72,800 | 20 |
| Entry-level / Junior | $78,700 | $71,800–$90,500 | 22 |
| Mid-level / unspecified | $130,500 | $100,000–$170,500 | 254 |
| Senior | $170,000 | $134,200–$220,000 | 430 |
| Lead | $208,000 | $176,700–$281,200 | 210 |
| Manager / Director | $208,300 | $163,300–$279,000 | 235 |
The entry-level (Junior) game industry salary is $78,700, based on 22 disclosed US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
Top-Paying US States
| State | Median | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| California | $200,000 | 720 |
| Texas | $145,000 | 20 |
| New York | $142,800 | 40 |
| Washington | $140,000 | 69 |
| Massachusetts | $140,000 | 27 |
| Colorado | $130,000 | 19 |
| District of Columbia | $123,800 | 10 |
| Nevada | $120,000 | 18 |
| Wisconsin | $117,200 | 26 |
Most disclosed pay comes from postings in pay-transparency states (CA, NY, WA, CO…) — this is not a national average. Read the methodology →
Looking for salary data outside the US, or in a currency other than USD? See the full multi-currency salary report →.
FAQ
What is the average salary in the video game industry?
The median (not mean/average) video game industry salary is $172,000 (middle half $127,500–$220,000), based on 1,193 disclosed-pay US job postings over the last 12 months as of September 2026, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
How much do game designers make?
Game designers report a median salary of $141,400 (middle half $110,800–$174,600) from 98 US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
What do entry-level game industry jobs pay?
The entry-level (Junior) game industry salary is $78,700, based on 22 disclosed US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data.
How much does a video game tester make?
QA roles that disclose pay have a median salary of $100,700 across 16 US postings, per Gaming Job Tracker data. Most of those postings are senior QA analysts, QA engineers, leads and managers; entry-level tester jobs are usually hourly contract roles that rarely disclose pay, so this figure is not representative of starting tester pay.
Which US state pays the most in the game industry?
California has the highest median game industry salary among US states with enough disclosed pay: $200,000 from 720 postings.
1,193 US postings with disclosed pay, last 12 months. Data last refreshed 2026-09-14.