What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Game Developer Programmer?

We've identified 10 cities in the United States where Game Developer Programmer jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Nome, AK (24.0% above average), followed by Berkeley, CA and Sitka, AK. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Nome, AK $114,914 $9,576 $2,209 $55.25 Berkeley, CA $113,427 $9,452 $2,181 $54.53 Sitka, AK $111,597 $9,299 $2,146 $53.65 San Francisco, CA $109,141 $9,095 $2,098 $52.47 Kentville, NS $108,954 $9,079 $2,095 $52.38 Santa Clara, CA $108,795 $9,066 $2,092 $52.31 San Jose, CA $108,568 $9,047 $2,087 $52.20 Whitehorse, YT $108,261 $9,021 $2,081 $52.05 Carcross, YT $108,198 $9,016 $2,080 $52.02 Haines Junction, YT $107,828 $8,985 $2,073 $51.84

Game Developer Programmer

Game Developer Programmer Salary

Q: How much does a Game Developer Programmer make?

The average annual pay for a game developer programmer in the United States is $92,636 a year — that works out to approximately $44.54 an hour. The middle 80% of Game Developer Programmers earn between $24,000 (10th percentile) and $166,500 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

$11K

$131K

$173K

$92,636

/year

$44.54

/hour

Game Developer Programmer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$92,636

Columbus

Ohio

$89,477

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How much does a Game Developer Programmer make?

As of May 31, 2026, the average annual pay for a Game Developer Programmer in the United States is $92,636 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $44.54 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,781/week or $7,719/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $173,000 and as low as $11,000, the majority of Game Developer Programmer salaries currently range between $24,000 (25th percentile) to $145,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $166,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Game Developer Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 121500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

A Game Developer Programmer in your area makes on average $89,477 per year, or $3,159 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $92,636. Ohio ranks number 41 out of 50 states nationwide for Game Developer Programmer salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Game Developer Programmer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as a Game Developer Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Game Developer Programmer Jobs

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Game Developer Programmer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $18,961 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $22,278 (24.0%) above the $92,636 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Game Developer Programmer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Nome, AK, and Haines Junction, YT, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Game Developer Programmer role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Nome, AK	$114,914	$9,576	$2,209	$55.25
Berkeley, CA	$113,427	$9,452	$2,181	$54.53
Sitka, AK	$111,597	$9,299	$2,146	$53.65
San Francisco, CA	$109,141	$9,095	$2,098	$52.47
Kentville, NS	$108,954	$9,079	$2,095	$52.38
Santa Clara, CA	$108,795	$9,066	$2,092	$52.31
San Jose, CA	$108,568	$9,047	$2,087	$52.20
Whitehorse, YT	$108,261	$9,021	$2,081	$52.05
Carcross, YT	$108,198	$9,016	$2,080	$52.02
Haines Junction, YT	$107,828	$8,985	$2,073	$51.84

What are Top 0 Best Paying Related Game Developer Programmer Jobs in the U.S.

Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Game Developer Programmer job category, we found that related job jobs have average salaries similar than Game Developer Programmer jobs.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Game Developer Programmer salary across the United States as of May 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $92,636 per year or $44.54 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.

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