Gameplay Programmer

Gameplay Programmer Salary

$96.5K

$129K

$144K

$135,232

/year

$65.02

/hour

Gameplay Programmer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$135,232

Columbus

Ohio

$130,621

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    How much does a Gameplay Programmer make?

    As of Jul 26, 2026, the average annual pay for a Gameplay Programmer in the United States is $135,232 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $65.02 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,600/week or $11,269/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $144,000 and as low as $96,500, the majority of Gameplay Programmer salaries currently range between $129,000 (25th percentile) to $143,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $143,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Gameplay Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 14000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Gameplay Programmer in your area makes on average $130,621 per year, or $4,611 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $135,232. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Gameplay Programmer salaries.

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

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

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Gameplay Programmer Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Gameplay Programmer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with National, MD, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $27,679 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $32,523 (24.0%) above the $135,232 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Gameplay 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 Milpitas, CA, , 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 Gameplay Programmer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Nome, AK

    $167,755

    $80.65

    National, MD

    $165,715

    $79.67

    Sitka, AK

    $162,911

    $78.32

    San Francisco, CA

    $159,327

    $76.60

    Santa Clara, CA

    $158,822

    $76.36

    Novato, CA

    $158,771

    $76.33

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $158,715

    $76.31

    Livermore, CA

    $158,626

    $76.26

    San Jose, CA

    $158,491

    $76.20

    Milpitas, CA

    $157,596

    $75.77

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Gameplay Programmer Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Gameplay Programmer job category, we found that College Counselor jobs have average salaries similar than Gameplay Programmer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    College Counselor

    $64,006

    $30.77

    Camp Director

    $44,648

    $21.47

    Summer Camp Program Director

    $43,593

    $20.96

    Junior Camp Counselor

    $31,158

    $14.98

    Camp Staff

    $30,824

    $14.82

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Gameplay Programmer salary across the United States as of July 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $135,232 per year or $65.02 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.