Becoming a Video Game Engineer 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.
Gaming managers make on average $74,030
per year and there are about 3,390
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 Engineer
- Game Development Organizations
- Gaming Institutes
- Software Development Firms
- Media Agencies
- Animation Studios
- Universities
- Motion Capture Departments
- Entertainment Firms
- Research and Development Departments
- Video Gaming Festivals
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Video Game Engineer
- Opportunity to be a part of best selling video games
- Video game controversy aides in selling
- Video game behavioral effects
- Multiplayer video game
- Ability to create for different generations
- Software errors not detected by software testers during development can find their way into released versions
- Partake in an influential industry
- Many games produced for the pc are designed such that technically-oriented consumers can modify the game
- Video game development and authorship is frequently a cross-disciplinary field
- Tactical media in video games plays a crucial role in making a statement
Potential Drawbacks
- A large amount of testing
- Constant design work
- Have to be self-disciplined
- No repetition
- Longs hours
- The need to work late
- Need to coordinate with other people who are hard to convince
- Feeling stuck in one profession
- Creative roots
- Look at a computer monitor all day
Related Professions to Consider
- Software Engineer
- Game Developer
- Computer Science
- Systems Administration
- Lead Validation Engineer
- Computer Graphics
- Flash Developer
- Database Administrators
- Software Development Engineer
- Games Test Engineer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Video Game Engineer
- What is white box testing?
- What other type of testing will you like to explain?
- Can you name any other kind of testing?
- Which type of tester does you like the most?
- Do you feel that you are fit enough for this job?
- Would you like to become a video game tester?
- Do you know what is required from a video game tester?
- Who is your role model?
- Why is he/she your role model?
- Do you feel that you will be selected?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Level Designers
- Creative Specialists
- Script Writers
- Game Programmers
- Project Managers
- System Administrators
- Technical Supporters
- Game Designers
- Creative Directors
- Business Analysts
Video Game Engineer Training books
Video Game Engineer (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Programming for Game Developers
- Computer Sciences
- Graphics Programming
- Template Classes and Template Functions
- Math Primer
- Computer Graphics
- 3D Mathematics
- Game Mathematics
- Graphics Programming
- Artificial Intelligence for Game Developers
Video Game Engineer Salary Information
Category: Gaming managers
| Total # Employed in the US |
3,390 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$35.59/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $19.54 |
$24.81 |
$32.4 |
$41.7 |
$55.49 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$74,030 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $40,640 |
$51,590 |
$67,380 |
$86,730 |
$115,420 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 7.7% |
29.7% |
28.6% |
7.1% |
21.7% |
4.4% |
0.8% |
|
Gaming managers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| New Hampshire |
$45.81/hr
|
$95,280
|
| Utah |
$45.24/hr
|
$94,110
|
| Colorado |
$42.01/hr
|
$87,370
|
| North Dakota |
$41.06/hr
|
$85,400
|
| New York |
$40.99/hr
|
$85,270
|
| Kentucky |
$38.34/hr
|
$79,760
|
| Ohio |
$35.39/hr
|
$73,610
|
| Kansas |
$34.28/hr
|
$71,310
|
| Oklahoma |
$34.28/hr
|
$71,300
|
| Nevada |
$33.71/hr
|
$70,120
|
| Massachusetts |
$32.55/hr
|
$67,700
|
| Hawaii |
$31.6/hr
|
$65,730
|
| Tennessee |
$31.12/hr
|
$64,720
|
| Connecticut |
$29.66/hr
|
$61,700
|
| Arkansas |
$29.46/hr
|
$61,270
|
| Louisiana |
$29.34/hr
|
$61,030
|
| Nebraska |
$28.9/hr
|
$60,110
|
| Iowa |
$28.21/hr
|
$58,680
|
| West Virginia |
$28.19/hr
|
$58,630
|
| South Dakota |
$23.17/hr
|
$48,190
|
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
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average 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
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average 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: Gaming dealers
| Total # Employed in the US |
86,900 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$9.76/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $7.05 |
$7.51 |
$8.19 |
$9.77 |
$15.37 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$20,290 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $14,660 |
$15,620 |
$17,030 |
$20,320 |
$31,960 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 9.8% |
35.8% |
32.9% |
7.8% |
11.8% |
1.6% |
0.3% |
|
Gaming dealers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Nebraska |
$15.15/hr
|
$31,510
|
| Mississippi |
$14.27/hr
|
$29,670
|
| Wyoming |
$13.63/hr
|
$28,340
|
| Alaska |
$13.05/hr
|
$27,150
|
| Maine |
$12.72/hr
|
$26,450
|
| West Virginia |
$12.02/hr
|
$25,000
|
| Louisiana |
$11.95/hr
|
$24,850
|
| Hawaii |
$11.88/hr
|
$24,710
|
| Tennessee |
$11.8/hr
|
$24,550
|
| Kansas |
$11.51/hr
|
$23,950
|
| Kentucky |
$10.92/hr
|
$22,710
|
| Washington |
$10.91/hr
|
$22,690
|
| Colorado |
$10.78/hr
|
$22,420
|
| Montana |
$10.15/hr
|
$21,110
|
| New Hampshire |
$10.03/hr
|
$20,860
|
| Pennsylvania |
$9.93/hr
|
$20,660
|
| Massachusetts |
$9.86/hr
|
$20,500
|
| Connecticut |
$9.65/hr
|
$20,060
|
| Nevada |
$9.6/hr
|
$19,970
|
| Arkansas |
$9.48/hr
|
$19,720
|
| South Dakota |
$9.37/hr
|
$19,480
|
| Oklahoma |
$9.35/hr
|
$19,460
|
| Maryland |
$9.21/hr
|
$19,170
|
| Ohio |
$8.41/hr
|
$17,490
|
| North Dakota |
$8.19/hr
|
$17,030
|
| New Jersey |
$8.15/hr
|
$16,960
|
| New York |
$7.65/hr
|
$15,920
|
Category: Multi-Media Artists and Animators
| Total # Employed in the US |
28,800 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$30.2/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $15.56 |
$20.76 |
$28.01 |
$37.21 |
$47.66 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$62,810 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $32,360 |
$43,170 |
$58,250 |
$77,410 |
$99,130 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 3.1% |
11.2% |
19.6% |
10.0% |
42.3% |
12.3% |
1.6% |
|
