Video Game Developer

Video Game Developer Salary

$26K

$40K

$48K

$38,600

/year

$18.56

/hour

Video Game Developer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$38,600

Columbus

Ohio

$37,283

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    How much does a Video Game Developer make?

    As of Jun 13, 2026, the average annual pay for a Video Game Developer in the United States is $38,600 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $18.56 an hour. This is the equivalent of $742/week or $3,216/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $48,000 and as low as $26,000, the majority of Video Game Developer salaries currently range between $35,000 (25th percentile) to $42,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $46,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Video Game Developer varies little (about 7000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    A Video Game Developer in your area makes on average $37,283 per year, or $1,317 (3.412%) less than the national average annual salary of $38,600. Ohio ranks number 43 out of 50 states nationwide for Video Game Developer salaries.

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

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

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Video Game Developer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Kentville, NS, , with Whitehorse, YT, and Carcross, YT, close behind in the second and third positions. Carcross, YT, beats the national average by $53,116 (137.6%), and Kentville, NS, furthers that trend with another $53,757 (139.3%) above the $38,600 average.

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

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 3% between Kentville, NS, and Courtenay, BC, , 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 Video Game Developer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Kentville, NS

    $92,357

    $44.40

    Whitehorse, YT

    $91,770

    $44.12

    Carcross, YT

    $91,716

    $44.09

    Haines Junction, YT

    $91,403

    $43.94

    North Cowichan, BC

    $91,134

    $43.81

    Duncan, BC

    $90,784

    $43.65

    Oak Bay, BC

    $90,618

    $43.57

    Lake Marcel-Stillwater, WA

    $90,422

    $43.47

    Alberton, PE

    $89,392

    $42.98

    Courtenay, BC

    $89,152

    $42.86

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Video Game Developer Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Video Game Developer category.

    For example Python Automation Engineer jobs pay as much as $101,371 (262.6%) more than the average Video Game Developer salary of $38,600. If you're qualified, finding work as a Python Automation Engineer may help you make more money than that of the average Video Game Developer position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Python Automation Engineer

    $139,971

    $67.29

    Chatgpt Prompt Engineer

    $116,463

    $55.99

    Architectural Visualization

    $76,129

    $36.60

    Unreal Engine Artist

    $62,907

    $30.24

    Comptia Security

    $55,353

    $26.61

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Video Game Developer salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $38,600 per year or $18.56 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.