Video Game Designers salary by location
National median: $104,000 (2025 OEWS). Percentages below describe each area's published median against that national figure.
| Location | Type | Median | vs national | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | metropolitan | $201,260 | +93.5% | 4,400 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | metropolitan | $163,810 | +57.5% | 6,630 | 2025 |
| Boulder, CO | metropolitan | $139,900 | +34.5% | 360 | 2025 |
| CA | state | $136,110 | +30.9% | 27,090 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | metropolitan | $133,760 | +28.6% | 10,330 | 2025 |
| Durham, NC | metropolitan | $133,340 | +28.2% | 510 | 2025 |
| WA | state | $130,480 | +25.5% | 11,580 | 2025 |
| Ithaca, NY | metropolitan | $125,810 | +21.0% | 40 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | metropolitan | $123,850 | +19.1% | 1,270 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | metropolitan | $122,270 | +17.6% | 2,330 | 2025 |
| NY | state | $120,990 | +16.3% | 16,560 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | metropolitan | $120,640 | +16.0% | 880 | 2025 |
| Austin, TX | metropolitan | $119,950 | +15.3% | 1,080 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | metropolitan | $119,190 | +14.6% | 14,990 | 2025 |
| Atlanta, GA | metropolitan | $118,190 | +13.6% | 1,890 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | metropolitan | $114,220 | +9.8% | 60 | 2025 |
| Manchester, NH | metropolitan | $113,700 | +9.3% | 140 | 2025 |
| MA | state | $113,540 | +9.2% | 2,740 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | metropolitan | $112,840 | +8.5% | 480 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | metropolitan | $111,420 | +7.1% | 50 | 2025 |
| NH | state | $111,150 | +6.9% | 430 | 2025 |
| DC | state | $107,650 | +3.5% | 480 | 2025 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | metropolitan | $107,320 | +3.2% | 580 | 2025 |
| Provo, UT | metropolitan | $107,210 | +3.1% | 330 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | metropolitan | $106,550 | +2.5% | 9,220 | 2025 |
| RI | state | $105,990 | +1.9% | 240 | 2025 |
| Phoenix, AZ | metropolitan | $104,940 | +0.9% | 640 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | metropolitan | $104,840 | +0.8% | 1,420 | 2025 |
| PA | state | $104,160 | +0.2% | 2,820 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | metropolitan | $104,150 | +0.1% | 2,380 | 2025 |
| GA | state | $103,810 | −0.2% | 2,800 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | metropolitan | $103,430 | −0.5% | 190 | 2025 |
| Raleigh, NC | metropolitan | $102,860 | −1.1% | 770 | 2025 |
| TX | state | $102,650 | −1.3% | 5,910 | 2025 |
| OR | state | $102,220 | −1.7% | 1,230 | 2025 |
| San Antonio, TX | metropolitan | $100,960 | −2.9% | 330 | 2025 |
| Milwaukee, WI | metropolitan | $100,710 | −3.2% | 240 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | metropolitan | $100,060 | −3.8% | — | 2025 |
| UT | state | $99,990 | −3.9% | 1,060 | 2025 |
| Buffalo, NY | metropolitan | $99,990 | −3.9% | 460 | 2025 |
| Detroit, MI | metropolitan | $99,450 | −4.4% | 790 | 2025 |
| Albany, NY | metropolitan | $99,210 | −4.6% | 310 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | metropolitan | $98,330 | −5.5% | 2,120 | 2025 |
| AZ | state | $98,070 | −5.7% | 810 | 2025 |
| NC | state | $97,990 | −5.8% | 3,400 | 2025 |
| Oshkosh, WI | metropolitan | $97,780 | −6.0% | 30 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | metropolitan | $97,420 | −6.3% | 70 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | metropolitan | $97,000 | −6.7% | 1,900 | 2025 |
| MD | state | $96,760 | −7.0% | 1,310 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | metropolitan | $96,760 | −7.0% | 500 | 2025 |
| Houston, TX | metropolitan | $96,750 | −7.0% | 830 | 2025 |
| Charleston, SC | metropolitan | $96,190 | −7.5% | 90 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | metropolitan | $96,120 | −7.6% | 30 | 2025 |
| Columbus, OH | metropolitan | $96,010 | −7.7% | 620 | 2025 |
| CO | state | $95,880 | −7.8% | 3,250 | 2025 |
| WI | state | $95,340 | −8.3% | 880 | 2025 |
| NJ | state | $95,310 | −8.4% | 2,170 | 2025 |
| Olympia, WA | metropolitan | $95,070 | −8.6% | 210 | 2025 |
| CT | state | $94,660 | −9.0% | 1,060 | 2025 |
| Worcester, MA | metropolitan | $94,500 | −9.1% | 120 | 2025 |
| Charlotte, NC | metropolitan | $94,290 | −9.3% | 1,070 | 2025 |
| DE | state | $93,880 | −9.7% | 130 | 2025 |
| Fort Collins, CO | metropolitan | $93,130 | −10.5% | — | 2025 |
| Providence, RI | metropolitan | $93,020 | −10.6% | 290 | 2025 |
| Ogden, UT | metropolitan | $92,800 | −10.8% | 40 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | metropolitan | $92,800 | −10.8% | 220 | 2025 |
| Spokane, WA | metropolitan | $92,790 | −10.8% | 170 | 2025 |
| Fresno, CA | metropolitan | $92,390 | −11.2% | 100 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | metropolitan | $92,130 | −11.4% | 40 | 2025 |
| Rochester, NY | metropolitan | $91,540 | −12.0% | 400 | 2025 |
| Springfield, MA | metropolitan | $91,280 | −12.2% | 50 | 2025 |
| Jacksonville, FL | metropolitan | $89,790 | −13.7% | 250 | 2025 |
| Green Bay, WI | metropolitan | $88,550 | −14.9% | 40 | 2025 |
| Peoria, IL | metropolitan | $87,950 | −15.4% | 30 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | metropolitan | $87,920 | −15.5% | 1,470 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | metropolitan | $87,530 | −15.8% | 130 | 2025 |
| Cleveland, OH | metropolitan | $86,340 | −17.0% | 360 | 2025 |
| Salem, OR | metropolitan | $86,330 | −17.0% | 70 | 2025 |
| Waco, TX | metropolitan | $86,310 | −17.0% | 30 | 2025 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | metropolitan | $85,900 | −17.4% | 600 | 2025 |
| Yakima, WA | metropolitan | $85,760 | −17.5% | 50 | 2025 |
| IL | state | $85,710 | −17.6% | 2,050 | 2025 |
| Deltona, FL | metropolitan | $85,010 | −18.3% | 40 | 2025 |
| Allentown, PA | metropolitan | $84,230 | −19.0% | 90 | 2025 |
| Santa Fe, NM | metropolitan | $83,880 | −19.3% | 30 | 2025 |
| OH | state | $83,360 | −19.8% | 2,520 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | metropolitan | $83,300 | −19.9% | 40 | 2025 |
| Spartanburg, SC | metropolitan | $82,890 | −20.3% | 50 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | metropolitan | $82,870 | −20.3% | 310 | 2025 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | metropolitan | $82,860 | −20.3% | 60 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati, OH | metropolitan | $82,820 | −20.4% | 570 | 2025 |
| Bakersfield, CA | metropolitan | $82,800 | −20.4% | 50 | 2025 |
| Las Vegas, NV | metropolitan | $82,750 | −20.4% | 840 | 2025 |
| MN | state | $82,650 | −20.5% | 1,520 | 2025 |
| Tampa, FL | metropolitan | $82,480 | −20.7% | — | 2025 |
| Harrisburg, PA | metropolitan | $81,830 | −21.3% | 100 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | metropolitan | $81,730 | −21.4% | 970 | 2025 |
| Madison, WI | metropolitan | $81,080 | −22.0% | 200 | 2025 |
| MI | state | $81,010 | −22.1% | 1,750 | 2025 |
| Augusta, GA | metropolitan | $80,990 | −22.1% | 60 | 2025 |