Average US game developer salary drops 4%

The average salary for US games industry employees has dropped from 2008 levels, according to new research conducted by Game Developer Research.

In 2009, the average pay for someone working in the industry was $75,573 - a decline of more than 4 per cent from 2008's record figure of $79,000.

However, the research found that highly skilled employees - those with over six years of experience in their chosen sector - were in higher demand than ever, taking home a significantly higher salary than less skilled workers.

Programmers - the highest paid talent after business employees - with over six years' experience were found to earn a typical 36 per cent more than the average of $80,320.

And those working in QA for more than six years were found to be more than doubling the average salary for a QA worker of $37,905.

Some disciplines did see a salary increase in 2009 - namely those working in art and animation, and in game design.

For the former, the average salary increased 2 per cent to $71,071, and the latter saw an increase of 3 per cent to $69,266.

The production sector was found to contain both the most experienced game developers and the highest numbers of female employees.

49 per cent had accrued more than six years in the industry, and 18 per cent of the sector was found to be female. The average salary for a production worker was $75,082 - down slightly from last year.

The number of audio developers with less than three years experience rose to a high of 38 per cent in 2009, indicating a rise in new blood for the sector. Those working in sound, including composers, earned an average of $82,085.

The business and marketing sectors remained the highest compensated group of professionals, taking an average salary of $96,408 - although that marked a decline of nearly 6 per cent on 2008.

Within that group, marketing and PR employees made an average of $83,804, while executives averaged £129,167.

The extended version of the Game Developer Salary Survey includes regional salary data and also, for the first time, a special Indie Report section detailing incomes for those working in small teams or alone.

Research into the average salaries of UK games industry employees was released yesterday by TIGA.

It showed that the average salary in the UK increased by 2-3 per cent in 2009, but that the industry was experiencing a higher staff turnover than the country's average.