Video Game Developer | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Video Game Developer via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Westwood College, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering video game courses to train individuals to become top-notch video game developers, game designers, video game designers, game developers, video game engineers, game software developers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 495,500 people employed as computer software engineers, applications alone in America, and their average annual salary is $90,170. Computer programmers make on average $74,690 per year and there are about 367,880 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Westwood College that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Video Game Developer
  • Sound Studios
  • Freelance Establishments
  • Graphics Studios
  • Design Companies
  • Software Engineering Firms
  • Content Writing Companies
  • Computer Science Companies
  • System Administration Firms
  • Animation Studios
  • Computer Animation Companies
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Video Game Developer
  • Can be a high paying career
  • Hands on work
  • Interesting and fun work
  • Excellent average salary
  • Growing industry
  • Exciting industry
  • Good job for the imaginative person
  • Love of games an advantage
  • Ability to work on teams
  • Jobs available world wide
Potential Drawbacks
  • Push you to your intellectual limits
  • Master skills in programming
  • Need special insider knowledge
  • Long work hours
  • Require to test the product
  • Constantly update oneself
  • Need to be creative at all time
  • Building cross professional relationships
  • Justifying return on investment
  • Making games that will keep the users hooked on to the game
Related Professions to Consider
  • Video Game Business Analyst
  • Flash Developer
  • AS3 Developer
  • Game Developer
  • Educational Video Games Consultant
  • Mid-Senior Level Developer
  • Gaming Client Application
  • LAMP Developer
  • Software Engineer
  • Mobile Applications Developer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Video Game Developer
  • Tell us about yourself?
  • How do you enforce the State Standards while developing Video Game?
  • How will you prepare to develop a Video Game?
  • How will you make sure you meet the needs and expectations of customers?
  • What is your favourite programming language?
  • What is your thought about the American Video Game Technology?
  • Have you worked as a Video Game Developer?
  • What is your strength & weakness?
  • Why do you want to be a Video Game Developer?
  • What is your ambition?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Graphic Designers
  • Computer Administrators
  • Computer Technologists
  • Gaming Designers
  • Purchasing Managers
  • Computer Scientist
  • Computer Graphics Designer
  • Systems Administrators
  • Animators
  • Database Administrators
Video Game Developer Training books Video Game Developer (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Computer Forensics
  • Computer Programming
  • Networking
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Studies
  • Graphic Design
  • Information Assurance
  • Information Technology
  • Internet Technologies
  • Multimedia Design

Video Game Developer Salary Information

Category: Computer programmers

Total # Employed in the US 367,880
Average Hourly Wage: $35.91/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$19.54 $25.78 $34.1 $43.75 $54.51
Average Yearly Salary $74,690
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$40,640 $53,620 $70,940 $91,000 $113,380
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 5.0% 14.4% 10.0% 49.8% 18.0% 2.2%
Computer programmers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $43.6/hr $90,680
Ohio $43.49/hr $90,470
Connecticut $40.36/hr $83,940
Colorado $40.35/hr $83,930
Delaware $39.57/hr $82,310
North Dakota $38.77/hr $80,650
Utah $37.44/hr $77,870
Mississippi $37.34/hr $77,660
Guam $37.33/hr $77,640
Florida $37.32/hr $77,620
Oklahoma $37.28/hr $77,540
Wyoming $37.26/hr $77,500
Oregon $36.53/hr $75,990
Puerto Rico $35.89/hr $74,650
District of Columbia $35.84/hr $74,560
Idaho $35.25/hr $73,320
Kansas $34.94/hr $72,680
Arkansas $34.73/hr $72,230
Alaska $34.13/hr $70,990
Alabama $33.85/hr $70,400
Virginia $33.68/hr $70,050
Nebraska $33.56/hr $69,800
Montana $33.44/hr $69,560
South Carolina $33.37/hr $69,420
Maine $33.13/hr $68,900
New York $33.03/hr $68,710
New Hampshire $32.93/hr $68,490
Maryland $32.77/hr $68,160
Tennessee $32.59/hr $67,790
Kentucky $32.19/hr $66,960
New Mexico $31.45/hr $65,410
Hawaii $31.39/hr $65,290
North Carolina $30.91/hr $64,290
Louisiana $30.9/hr $64,260
Indiana $30.77/hr $64,010
California $30.58/hr $63,610
Washington $30.44/hr $63,320
Wisconsin $30.07/hr $62,550
South Dakota $27.32/hr $56,820
Massachusetts $27.3/hr $56,790
Michigan $26.87/hr $55,890
Nevada $24.47/hr $50,900
Pennsylvania $24.34/hr $50,640
Iowa $23.82/hr $49,540
West Virginia $23.77/hr $49,440
New Jersey $23.65/hr $49,190


Category: Computer software engineers, applications

Total # Employed in the US 495,500
Average Hourly Wage: $43.35/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$26.36 $33.29 $42.06 $51.78 $63.5
Average Yearly Salary $90,170
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$54,840 $69,230 $87,480 $107,710 $132,080
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 2.6% 9.8% 5.5% 48.7% 29.3% 3.8%
Computer software engineers, applications — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $49.48/hr $102,920
Colorado $49.08/hr $102,080
Mississippi $45.82/hr $95,310
North Dakota $45.2/hr $94,010
Oklahoma $45.15/hr $93,910
Connecticut $44.41/hr $92,370
Wyoming $44/hr $91,520
Kansas $43.6/hr $90,690
District of Columbia $43.54/hr $90,560
North Carolina $43.46/hr $90,390
Idaho $43.45/hr $90,370
Tennessee $42.66/hr $88,740
Delaware $42.53/hr $88,470
Florida $42.45/hr $88,300
Virginia $42.43/hr $88,260
Nebraska $42.09/hr $87,550
Oregon $42.01/hr $87,380
Ohio $41.23/hr $85,760
Arkansas $40.71/hr $84,680
Alabama $40.18/hr $83,580
Guam $40.07/hr $83,350
Utah $39.99/hr $83,170
Hawaii $39.73/hr $82,630
South Carolina $39.17/hr $81,480
Iowa $38.62/hr $80,330
New Hampshire $37.68/hr $78,380
Alaska $37.13/hr $77,240
Montana $37.13/hr $77,220
New York $36.92/hr $76,790
Wisconsin $36.34/hr $75,590
Puerto Rico $35.85/hr $74,560
New Mexico $35.83/hr $74,530
Indiana $35.53/hr $73,890
Louisiana $35.24/hr $73,310
Maine $34.75/hr $72,280
Washington $34.63/hr $72,030
Kentucky $34.37/hr $71,490
West Virginia $33.66/hr $70,010
Maryland $33.64/hr $69,970
Massachusetts $33.59/hr $69,870
South Dakota $32.33/hr $67,250
Nevada $32.14/hr $66,840
Pennsylvania $31.54/hr $65,610
Michigan $31.39/hr $65,290
New Jersey $30.91/hr $64,280
California $30.84/hr $64,150


Category: Computer software engineers, systems software

Total # Employed in the US 385,200
Average Hourly Wage: $46.45/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$28.65 $35.83 $44.94 $56.01 $67.28
Average Yearly Salary $96,620
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$59,600 $74,520 $93,470 $116,510 $139,930
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 2.6% 9.8% 5.5% 48.7% 29.3% 3.8%
Computer software engineers, systems software — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Colorado $52.52/hr $109,240
North Carolina $48.95/hr $101,820
Missouri $48.88/hr $101,670
North Dakota $48.15/hr $100,150
Connecticut $47.4/hr $98,590
Nebraska $46.85/hr $97,450
Oklahoma $46.81/hr $97,370
Mississippi $46.14/hr $95,980
Florida $45.73/hr $95,120
Delaware $45.66/hr $94,970
Wyoming $45.54/hr $94,730
Oregon $45.51/hr $94,670
Tennessee $45.5/hr $94,630
Ohio $45.3/hr $94,230
District of Columbia $45.09/hr $93,790
Idaho $44.36/hr $92,280
Kansas $44.26/hr $92,050
Virginia $44.12/hr $91,770
Utah $44.04/hr $91,590
Pennsylvania $42.64/hr $88,700
Hawaii $41.52/hr $86,350
Indiana $41.31/hr $85,930
Alabama $41.14/hr $85,560
Iowa $41.05/hr $85,380
Arkansas $40.42/hr $84,070
Puerto Rico $40.36/hr $83,950
New York $40.13/hr $83,470
South Carolina $39.97/hr $83,140
Michigan $39.83/hr $82,850
Montana $39.51/hr $82,170
Maine $38.98/hr $81,070
Nevada $38.68/hr $80,450
South Dakota $38.55/hr $80,180
Maryland $38.36/hr $79,790
Wisconsin $37.81/hr $78,640
New Hampshire $37.49/hr $77,980
Kentucky $37.46/hr $77,910
New Mexico $37.34/hr $77,670
Louisiana $36.94/hr $76,830
Guam $36.9/hr $76,760
Massachusetts $36.52/hr $75,960
Washington $35.42/hr $73,670
Alaska $35.36/hr $73,550
New Jersey $34.35/hr $71,440
California $34.32/hr $71,400
West Virginia $32.45/hr $67,500


Category: Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers

Total # Employed in the US 195,890
Average Hourly Wage: $37.5/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.04 $28.11 $37.02 $46.58 $55.31
Average Yearly Salary $78,010
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,680 $58,460 $77,010 $96,890 $115,050
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 6.4% 17.0% 10.5% 44.3% 18.7% 2.5%


Video Game Programs by State & City