Video Game Designer Salary

Video games recently have made the news for now being officially regarded as an art form. Today you can even apply for grants to make independent games. Colleges across the nation offer degrees in video game programming, art design, animation, and a variety of other classes and certifications that relate to their creation. The popularity of video gaming has continued to grow with basically everyone, their families, spouses and friends, playing them in one form or another, whether it is on computer, console, or even cell phones. With their popularity still growing and gaming technology advancing every day, it’s easy to see how a person can make a career out of them as well. Best of all, the video game designer salary is a lucrative one.

Video game designers are working in a very competitive market. It’s a business and an art much like film making, but still the game design world is much different. Video game designers are required to work to code on their games, using the newest graphical technology and art styles, while creating games that are unique and accessible to all their gaming fans. Luckily, the video game designer salary is a decent one when compared to many other jobs in the professional sector.

The average video game designer salary can range between $40,000 and $55,000 annually. Some video game designers can earn marginally less while many others have become highly regarded in their industry and have the ability to make a lot more. Video game design teams are unique in the way that, even as indie game developers, you can make a game with a small team of one to half a dozen people and make a lot of money if the game takes off. Lately this trend has proven quite profitable for those who have a one of a kind idea or art style that can grab people’s attention.

Once you have the degree and skills necessary to either design your independent video game or to get hired on as part of a development team, you can expect the beginners salary of around $35,000, which is significantly more than the beginner salary at many other jobs at the professional level. Artists and animators for video games can also expect roughly the same pay scale, making it a lucrative career for anyone interested in the production of these games.

Video game design is in high demand at the moment, and as smaller studios begin to get their names out there and grow, there are more job opportunities now than ever before. This is good news for anyone entering the job market whether you be a programmer, animator or anything else relating to game production. With your experience in this growing career field, as well as a professional portfolio showing your talents, you can boost your salary. After only five years of on the job experience, you can often make up to $75,000 annually. With the number of schools offering degrees in video game design, and the huge amount of interest in that field, it is a great time to start your career and make the video game designer salary you deserve in the future.