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Entry Level Game Programmer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Hardin Design

Web Developer - Entry Level

Madison, WI · On-site +1

$55K - $70K/yr

This is an entry-level web developer position at Hardin Design & Development. The pay range for ... casual dress code, game room, and a large open office right in the heart of Madison's East ...

Hardin Design

Web Developer - Entry Level

Madison, WI · On-site +1

This is an entry-level web developer position at Hardin Design & Development. The pay range for ... casual dress code, game room, and a large open office right in the heart of Madison's East ...

Hardin Design

Web Developer - Entry Level

Madison, WI · On-site

$55K - $70K/yr

This is an entry-level web developer position at Hardin Design & Development. The pay range for ... casual dress code, game room, and a large open office right in the heart of Madison's East ...

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Entry Level Game Programmer information

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$11K

$92.6K

$173.5K

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

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level game programmer in the United States is $92,636.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24,000.00 and $145,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

AspectEntry Level Game ProgrammerJunior Game Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science, Programming skillsBachelor's in Computer Science or related, basic programming knowledge
Work EnvironmentGame studios, software companiesGame studios, tech firms
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly used in gaming industry for entry rolesUsed interchangeably in gaming and software development
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding entry-level programming roles in gamingExploring junior development positions in game development

Entry Level Game Programmers and Junior Game Developers often share similar educational backgrounds and work environments. However, the term 'Entry Level Game Programmer' typically emphasizes programming skills specifically for game development, while 'Junior Game Developer' may include broader responsibilities like design and testing. Both roles serve as starting points in the gaming industry, with overlapping skills but slightly different focus areas.

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

To thrive as an Entry Level Game Programmer, you need a solid grasp of programming languages such as C++ or C#, basic game development principles, and often a relevant degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine and version control systems such as Git is commonly expected. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with designers and artists. These combined skills enable you to contribute efficiently to game development projects, troubleshoot issues, and work productively within multidisciplinary teams.

What does an entry level game programmer do?

An entry level game programmer is responsible for assisting in the development of video games by writing, testing, and debugging code under the guidance of senior developers. They typically work on specific features such as gameplay mechanics, user interfaces, or artificial intelligence, and help ensure the game's codebase is functional and efficient. This role is ideal for individuals who are new to the industry and want to gain hands-on experience while learning from more experienced team members.

What are some common challenges entry level game programmers face when starting out, and how can they overcome them?

Entry level game programmers often encounter challenges such as adapting to large codebases, understanding existing game engines, and collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams. It can be overwhelming to navigate legacy code or pick up new tools quickly. To overcome these hurdles, it's helpful to ask questions, seek mentorship from senior developers, and actively participate in code reviews. Building strong communication skills and regularly studying project documentation also play a key role in ensuring a smooth transition into professional game development.

What Does an Entry-Level Game Programmer Do?

An entry-level game programmer works to develop application code for video games. Your duties in this career include coding different complex sequences and algorithms that can adapt to video game design. You can choose to work in a specialty of video game programming, such as graphics, network creation, artificial intelligence, or building the user interface. You take the design team’s ideas and assist them in bringing the content to life in a way that a computer understands. Other responsibilities may include trying out a prototype, testing the software for bugs and code errors once the team completes it, communicating with the designers, artists, and writers, and helping to integrate functions into the game.

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Entry Level Game Programmer jobs near you
Software Engineer - Entry Level

Software Engineer - Entry Level

Gambyt

Ann Arbor, MI • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Software Engineer - Entry Level
Location: Remote (US Only) - Eastern Time Zone
About Us
Gambyt's mission is to make real-money gaming products more relevant and accessible to the world. We are specialists in the lottery industry and create products that deliver life-changing winning moments to players while raising billions of dollars every year for good causes such as public education, nature conservancy, and programs for seniors.
Through our agile software development practice, we create digital products such as games, loyalty programs, and user experiences that are loved by players. Our team consists of extremely talented product managers, UX/UI designers, software engineers, project managers and quality testers that collaborate closely to achieve our vision.
We have rebuilt our company around a distributed remote-work engagement model. To help strengthen connections across our team, we provide resources to support employee engagement and well-being, organize monthly virtual activities, and regularly experiment with new benefits for remote work.
Though fully remote, we are headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which was ranked as a top 3 tech hub by Bloomberg, and is located in the first state in the country where all forms of internet wagering (lottery, casino, sports) have been legalized. We are on the ground floor of an industry revolution that is ripe for digital disruption and looking to expand our world-class team.
Job Description
Gambyt is seeking a Software Engineer who is eager to build, ship, and improve real-world production systems used by lottery players across the United States.
This role is ideal for an early-career engineer with strong fundamentals who wants meaningful ownership early in their career. You will contribute to customer-facing features, internal tools, and backend services that power lottery applications. From your first projects, you will be expected to deliver production-ready code with guidance from senior engineers.
This is a high-impact role delivering software for major US state lottery customers. You will collaborate closely with product, design, engineering peers, and client stakeholders to deliver reliable, scalable, and high-quality software.
Key Responsibilities
  • Take ownership of well-scoped features from implementation through deployment with guidance.
  • Ship production features across one or more platforms (web, backend, iOS, Android)
  • Write clean, tested, maintainable code that ships to production
  • Debug issues across the stack using logs, metrics, and systematic problem-solving
  • Collaborate cross-functionally to clarify requirements and deliver high-quality player experiences
  • Participate actively in code reviews, incorporating feedback and learning to make pragmatic tradeoffs

Required Qualifications
  • Strong engineering fundamentals (data structures, APIs, debugging, and testing concepts)
  • Experience building and shipping at least one meaningful project (internship, academic project, personal project, or professional experience)
  • Comfort navigating unfamiliar code and learning new tools quickly
  • Clear communication skills and a collaborative approach to decision-making
  • Based in the U.S., able to work standard Eastern Time hours

Preferred Qualifications
Experience with our technologies is a plus but not required-strong fundamentals and the ability to learn quickly are more important. Our technologies include:
  • Mobile: Swift (iOS), Kotlin (Android)
  • Frontend: JavaScript, TypeScript, React
  • Backend: Node.js (with Express), Postgres, Redis
  • Infrastructure: AWS, Heroku, Terraform, GitHub Actions
  • Tools: GitHub, modern CI/CD pipelines

Employee Benefits
All full-time employees receive:
  • Remote work environment
  • Competitive compensation packages
  • Performance and anniversary bonus programs
  • Equity program in our privately-held company
  • Unlimited vacation and personal leave
  • Summer Fridays during the summer months (coordinated company-wide time off)
  • Excellent health and dental benefits, with no premium copays
  • 401k program with guaranteed company contribution
  • Monthly perks like food delivery to your home
  • Monthly cell phone and computer stipend

Learn more at www.gambyt.com
Gambyt logo

About Gambyt

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Gambling activities

Company size

11 - 50 Employees

Headquarters location

Ann Arbor, MI, US

Year founded

2016

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