The ninth annual Game Developer Salary Survey from the folks at Game Developer Research has revealed that the average game industry salary in the U.S. has declined from a record $79,000 in 2008 to $75,573 in 2009. The study noted that last year "saw the first case on record of a significant average salary decrease, as consumer confidence suffered in the midst of a recession and employers looked to cut costs wherever possible. Despite that, this year did not dip below 2007's figure, and 2009 still boasts the second-highest average salary ever."
The business and marketing executives remain the highest compensated people in the industry, with an average salary of $96,408. In terms of actual game creation, programmers are the highest paid talent with an average salary of $80,320. Check out the full press release for more details.
In related salary news, TIGA in the U.K. has released new survey results for game developer compensation across the pond. Unlike in the U.S., salaries in the U.K. industry grew slightly (2-3 percent) in the last 12 months. You can read all about that survey here.
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April 13, 2010
With the different and refreshing face of the game development community, which includes a growing independent segment and a proliferation of new business models, for the first time, this year's full Game Developer Research report including new special sections dedicated to accurately portraying recent game developers.
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