ZipRecruiter

Log In

2

Entry Level Game Developer Jobs in Baltimore, MD

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsGame Developer JobsEntry Level Game Developer JobsEntry Level Game Developer Jobs in Baltimore, MD

Entry Level Game Developer information

See Baltimore, MD salary details

$32.3K

$107.8K

$178.9K

How much do entry level game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level game developer in Baltimore, MD is $107,781.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,000.00 and $123,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is 30 too old to get into game dev?

Entry level game developers come from diverse backgrounds and ages, and starting at 30 is not too late. Success depends on acquiring relevant skills such as programming, design, or art, and building a portfolio to demonstrate your abilities. Many employers value experience and passion over age, making it possible to enter the field at any age with dedication.

What are some common challenges faced by entry level game developers when working on their first projects?

Entry level game developers often encounter challenges such as balancing creative ideas with technical limitations, adapting to collaborative workflows, and managing tight deadlines. Learning to navigate large codebases, understanding version control systems, and effectively communicating with designers, artists, and senior programmers are key aspects of the role. Overcoming these hurdles requires a willingness to learn, ask questions, and seek feedback from teammates, which helps foster both technical and interpersonal growth within a supportive game development environment.

What Does an Entry-Level Game Developer Do?

As an entry-level game developer, your responsibilities revolve around programming the algorithms and code that control video games. Your duties are to develop action sequences in games, graphical user interfaces, and other basic tools that allow seamless gameplay. You must be conscious of console or computer requirements, such as memory usage and graphics chip limitations, and you should be able to identify and fix glitches in the game quickly. You work closely with other programmers and QA testers to ensure that you deal with these issues systematically.

What is the 80 20 rule in game development?

In game development, the 80/20 rule suggests that roughly 80% of the game's value comes from 20% of the features or work. Entry level game developers often focus on core mechanics and essential assets first to maximize impact and efficiency during development cycles.

Is AI replacing game devs?

AI is increasingly used in game development to assist with tasks like procedural content generation and testing, but it does not replace entry level game developers. Developers are needed to design, program, and oversee AI tools, ensuring creative and technical quality. Skills in programming, game engines, and AI integration remain essential for game development roles.

What is the difference between Entry Level Game Developer vs Junior Game Programmer?

AspectEntry Level Game DeveloperJunior Game Programmer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science, Game Design, or related fieldBachelor's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
Work EnvironmentGame studios, indie developers, or freelance projectsGame development teams, software companies, or indie studios
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly used in gaming industry for entry rolesOften used interchangeably with Entry Level Game Developer in job listings
Common Search & Comparison IntentYesYes

Both roles typically require a bachelor's degree in a related field and involve working in game development environments. While the titles may differ slightly, they often refer to similar entry-level positions focused on coding, debugging, and supporting game projects. The main difference lies in terminology preference among employers, but both roles serve as starting points for a career in game programming.

What does an Entry Level Game Developer do?

An Entry Level Game Developer assists in the creation and implementation of video games by writing code, debugging, and collaborating with other team members such as artists and designers. They typically work under the supervision of senior developers and are often responsible for smaller features or specific tasks within a larger project. Their work may include programming gameplay mechanics, fixing bugs, and learning new tools and technologies used in game development. This role is an excellent starting point for those looking to gain experience and grow within the gaming industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level Game Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Game Developer, you need a solid understanding of programming languages like C++ or C#, basic game design principles, and typically a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine, version control systems like Git, and basic graphic or animation tools is highly beneficial. Creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication are key soft skills that help you collaborate and adapt in dynamic development environments. These skills ensure you can efficiently contribute to game projects, meet technical requirements, and work well within multidisciplinary teams.

How to be a game developer with no experience?

Entry level game developers typically start by learning programming languages such as C# or C++, and gaining familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine. Building a portfolio with small projects, participating in game jams, and pursuing online courses or certifications can help demonstrate skills to employers without prior professional experience.
More about Entry Level Game Developer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD? The most popular types of Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD are:
What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD? For Entry Level Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Game Developer jobs in Baltimore, MD are:
What cities near Baltimore, MD are hiring for Entry Level Game Developer jobs? Cities near Baltimore, MD with the most Entry Level Game Developer job openings:
Entry Level Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Game Developer job openings in Baltimore, MD as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 25% Internship, 62% Full Time, and 13% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $107,781 per year, or $51.8 per hour.
Data Engineer - Multiple Levels (TS/SCI with Poly Required)

Data Engineer - Multiple Levels (TS/SCI with Poly Required)

Red Alpha

Dayton, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

A little about us:
The Red Alpha Data Science practice grew out of Red Alpha's reputation in Software and System Engineering with our Department of Defense clients. As sometimes happens, customers who trust our expertise in adjacent areas asked Red Alpha to assist with some of their burgeoning Data Science problems.

Culturally, it probably suffices to say that we take our work seriously, but not ourselves. Our leaders have spent time in the trenches and have cursed daylight savings time changes and trailing whitespace as many times as you have. We like to say that we spend 80% of our time cleaning the data...and 20% of our time complaining about cleaning the data. Joking aside, our voices matter, and it is easy to see how our decisions affect the Data Science practice and Red Alpha as a whole. We have a clear vision of where we are headed.    

Our team takes a pragmatic approach to Data Science, defining it loosely as the intersection of technical expertise, business acumen, and soft skills to solve business problems with data. We spend a lot of time trying to understand the problem before we set about building a solution, and we prefer lower tech useful solutions over shiny algorithms and dust on the shelf. Did we mention we’re pragmatic? We have a diverse set of skills across our team, and whether you are a traditional Data Scientist (whatever that means…), an Applied Research Mathematician, a Database Engineer, a Full Stack Developer, or something else in that neighborhood, if you have a knack for picking apart data to make sense of it, we would enjoy having a conversation with you.
A day in the life: 
Despite the title of this role being “Data Engineer” (which sounds very specific), it is actually a great opportunity to demonstrate the diversity of your skills across the data science spectrum. From procurement, consolidation, and cleansing to modeling and presentation, you will influence and add value in several areas across the data science life cycle in order to answer mission and business questions. Subject areas include but are not limited to the following: 
  • Employ a variety of languages and tools (e.g., scripting languages) to integrate systems.  
  • Conduct research and leverage large volumes of data from multiple sources to answer mission and business questions.
  • Employ sophisticated analytics, programs, machine learning, and statistical methods to prepare data for use in analytical processes and prescriptive modeling.  
  • Explore and examine data for hidden patterns.  
  • Automate work through the use of predictive and prescriptive analytics.  
  • Develop processes to extract/transform/load (ETL) data between different systems.  

What you bring to the table:
Now on to the fun of formal requirements - we have to apologize in advance for the corporate-speak here, but just hold your breath for a few lines and everything will be okay. We are actively hiring data professionals for roles across a broad range of skill levels and projects. Our goal is to find the best fit for you so please note that if you apply to one of them and we see a fit elsewhere we will let you know. So do not worry about applying initially for every position you might be interested in.   

All of our data scientists need the following skills:    

  • Proficiency with a scripting language such as R or Python
  • Experience with data science techniques and algorithms such as classification, clustering, random forests, deterministic forests (jk), hierarchical modeling, deep learning, Markov Chain Monte Carlo, and others. Note that you do not need to have all of these (we hope you enjoyed our random smattering of techniques…!) but you should be comfortable and capable with several of them and know some others not on this list.
  • A B.S. Degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field.
  • For entry-level data scientists, 0-3 years of experience on Data Science projects.
  • For mid-level data scientists, 3-6 years of experience on Data Science projects.
  • For senior-level data scientists, at least 6 years of experience on Data Science projects with at least 3 years of experience managing teams.
  • A TS/SCI with Polygraph security clearance.

For this particular role, you will also need:    

  • Experience in identifying, developing, and deploying new approaches to automate data collection, consolidation, and analysis
  • Proven ability to develop and deploy software and scripts needed to collect business-relevant metrics based on enterprise data

These are important skills to have, but not necessarily mandatory:    

  • Exceptional interpersonal skills. You know, as in you might not be at the top of the list to be a game show host, but you do like people and enjoy solving problems jointly with your colleagues.
  • Experience with Java, C, or other compiled languages
  • Comprehensive knowledge of Saturday Night Live sketches (just kidding)
  • Experience with SQL/NoSQL, Spark, Hadoop
  • Familiarity with Javascript and Scripting
  • Familiarity with Docker, GitLab, and React
  • Familiarity with Agile processes and structures, and able to work on a software development team

    

The total package:
Our total compensation package was strategically designed with our members in mind with the intention to: reward our members for their hard work and commitment to our customers' missions; allow members to share in Red Alpha's success as we continue to grow and expand our footprint; provide long-term career opportunities through stability and internal mobility; and provide the resources our members need to support themselves and their dependents in the form of a robust benefits package.  Our total compensation package includes a competitive base salary and benefits such as health, life/disability, 401k, paid time off, professional development, and generous bonus programs.  Please visit our benefits tab for additional information. 
 
Salary Range:   
  • Disclosed pay ranges are a general guideline, and are not a guarantee of a final salary or compensation.  Our approach in determining final salaries takes into consideration a number of factors such as education, certifications, total years of relevant professional experience, actual level of expertise, and the responsibilities of the role itself. 
  • Based on the outlined roles, responsibilities, and requirements, the  projected pay range for these positions are:
    • Entry-level:  $95,000 - $135,000
    • Mid-level: $110,000 - $155,000 
    • Senior-level:  $135,000 - $235,000
Some of our additional perks and benefits include:                 
  • Retire sooner than planned: Get closer to retirement with up to 10% in 401k contributions, immediately vested. 
  • Have a career AND a life: Enjoy up to 5 weeks of leave (25 days of personal time off) and 11 paid floating holidays.
  • Stay at your best: As a member, we'll pay 100% of your premiums for comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance. We'll also pay the majority of the premiums for your family.  Let's not forge free access to a fully equipped state of the art gym!
  • Keep current on new technologies and technological advancements:  $5250 per year towards ongoing education, trainings, certifications, and maintaining professional memberships. 
  • Dress in style:  Spend up to $300 per year on company branded merchandise featuring top quality brands such as Under Armour, Nike, Carhartt, YETI, etc.
  • Enjoy the culture:  Attend fun company events throughout the year such as our Oktoberfest, summer picnic, and annual holiday party!  These are all in additon to your team events which may include happy hours, baseball games, snowboarding, RenFest, and more!
Every day, our elite customers are pushing through "the grind" to defeat the enemy, even putting their lives on the line for our freedom. Rise to the occasion with us to deliver engineering excellence, to match their dedication to this nation. Join us as we bring digital transformation to the fight!