I always want to be a game programmer. Actually, I don''t really care how much I will earn for being a game programmer as long as it''s enough for my living. I am just curious, how much can a Game Programmer make for each game or an year? if you have some idea, please tell me. I really want to know. Thanks!

It would probably depend on a lot of factors (area of the country, size of company, experience, etc) but you can probably expect anywhere from 30K-50K and up.

Breakaway Games

Yep - roughly 30k - 50k, with workweeks much longer than 40 hours.

Basically, half the pay for twice the work. But hey, it''s *game* programming.


Mason McCuskey
Spin Studios - home of Quaternion, 2000 GDC Indie Games Fest Finalist!
www.spin-studios.com

Its rather ironic, isn''t it? Perhaps some of the most skilled developers in the IT industry and they get paid less than most business developers. It doesn''t seem fair....

A lot of it depends on where you live. I''m making quite a bit more on the coast than I would in the middle of the country, but with the cost of living being so high, I''m not living any better (Probably a little worse).

The range 30k to 50k is rather standard for the newer programmers. If you have more experience and you are going in to a larger company, it''s not too uncommon to see people making 70k.

I-Shaolin,

As a Sr. Software Engineer programming business apps in the Central New York region - with over five years of experience, I''m making around $60k. I''ve been thinking of switching over to game programming for quite a while now...

Just yesterday I did a cost of living comparison for around the S.F.Bay area (where EA Sports and Blizzard North is located, for example). And I would need to be making $150k a year!!! This was on two different web based comparison calculators! Are these calculators right about the cost of living on the coast?

I was going to post today about this very topic because I couldn''t imagine that a game programmer would make this, even near the Bay area - could they? I would love to get into the industry, but if I took such a dramatic decrease in comparable salary, I think my wife and kids would have my bags on the front stoop :-D.

What is everyone''s feelings on this? Are game programmers that much underpaid? Or is the 30k-50k just the salary for programmers with no experience? Is this the starting salary on the coast? What do the salaries tend to get up to? What is the advancement possibilities for game programmers (while still being dedicated to programming)? I guess I''ve had a bunch of these types of questions rolling around in my head for awhile. And while I''m dying to get into game programming (more than I am on the side), I don''t know about these issues...

Thanks!
CNY

Being a professional developer on the business side I see some the pay issues firsthand. For me personally, I consider myself a good developer, with plenty of drive and ability to learn, but I don''t pretend to have the skill set that many, if not most, game developers possess. Yet I make more than most of them and also live in an area of the country that has one of the lower costs of living! Also I can tell you our top guys are making WAY more than 70K.

I''d love to go into gaming development professionally but I''d have to take a really serious paycut (plus the current dev job I have is pretty cool actually), not too mention unstable job security, less benefits and all that. As much as I wish it were different its not.

I can see why your message icon is crying there. That really stinks - unstable job security, less benefits, little pay...

I guess I''ll just have to continue game programming on the side instead of professionally. :-( It doesn''t seem really worth it - which is unfortunate.

What do others think - what is their experience with this? What about the future - does anybody see/think that this may shift for it to be worth it for programmers wanting to go into game programming?

CNY

CNY,

Well, I am making 55K in the Bay Area with pretty decent benifits, but the cost of living here tears through it quickly. Rent is outragous. Now, I am rather lucky. This is my first job in the industry, and from what I have gathered from other people, this salary is higher than average.

For me, it''s worth it. I only graduated college here recently, and getting into the industry is the hardest part. Besides, I love the job and the working conditions are just perfect. After this, I couldn''t imagine doing anything else.

Since you have a good job already, you aren''t forced to move to the Bay Area. There are game companies all over the country, with less cost of living rates (try Texas). I needed the job, so I didn''t have the option to wait.

Thanks for the responses! I appreciate it. Like I said these questions have been rolling around in my head for a while.

I''ve been wanting to start game programming for quite some time - and finally I said "the heck with it" and I started teaching myself and scouring the internet for as much information as possible. Finally, I started to think of whether I wanted to do this for a living. I mean, I''ve been spending so much time on the side doing it - why not have my full time job be something that I enjoy even more!

It''s tough to make the switch though. I''m living in one of the lowest cost of living areas of the nation (besides the taxes), and my salary is pretty nice. To take a salary decrease AND a huge cost of living increase would take a LOT of thought :-D

I think if we WERE going to move though, it would definitely be on the west coast. My wife and I like it out there a lot (except for the cost of living).

CNY

- Man, I should finally register on this board. I''ve been listening in for so long - but never participated until now...