How Much Money Does a Video Game Designer Make?

Video game designers provide hours of fun for people of all ages.

Video games are sought after items in retail stores, and the brains behind them, the video game designers, can earn up to $56,000 a year just to start, according to an October 2010 survey by PayScale.

Experience

Job experience plays a part in earning potential for video game designers. Those just starting out can expect to earn between $39,088 and $56,000 a year, according to PayScale in 2010. After five years, these workers report earnings of up to $75,917. After 10 years, video game designers can earn up to $88,025.

Geography

Location can also help determine video game designer salaries. Those working in San Francisco report salaries ranging between $46,452 and $77,715 each year, according to PayScale. Video game designers in Seattle report some of the lowest incomes, earning up to $55,973 a year.

Gender Pay

In the field of video game design, males report higher salaries than their female counterparts. Men report earning between $41,248 and $65,026 a year, according to PayScale. Women video game designers report earnings between $38,884 at the lower end, and up to $53,920 at the higher end.

References

• PayScale: Video Game Designer Incomes By Experience
• PayScale: Video Game Designer Incomes By City
• PayScale: Video Game Designer Incomes By Gender