The Best High Paying Video Game Careers

In the last decade the global video games sector has been steadily growing year after year by revenue. By 2026 it’s set to be worth over $321 billion, bringing more known and new opportunities for video game careers. In particular, the social and casual gaming industry has grown exponentially and is the strongest, accounting for over half of all global video games revenue, followed by console and PC games.

If you’re wondering how to get into the gaming industry, you should know that there are many different jobs for gamers, and each has its own set of requirements when it comes to education, experience, and skills. You can find careers in gaming in all stages of the lifecycle of a video game from pre- to post-production.

The Highest Paying Jobs for Gamers

Let’s have a look at the most sought-after and highest-paying video game careers.

Video Game Writer

Video game writers work in collaboration with the video game development team to create the game storyline. As there are numerous video game genres, there are also different types of writers in this industry. For example, video game scriptwriters write character dialogue by following the instructions and story created by the narrative designer.

As an ideal candidate for writer jobs in the video game industry you should have at least a bachelor’s degree in scriptwriting or creative writing and a great portfolio to show off your writing skills. The salary for writers in the U.S. averages $35.17 per hour but in high-demand job locations like San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC this increases to $50.98 and $43.18 respectively.

Browse all video game writer jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Designer

Video game designers are creative professionals with a key role within the video game development team. Using their wide array of skills, they define the game settings, visuals, plot, characters, user experience, and more. In this role, you might create brand-new games or work on improving old ones with innovative gameplay ideas.

Aspiring video game designers should pursue a higher education degree in game design, computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, or a related field. The median salary for video game designers in the U.S. is $40.02 per hour. In high-demand job locations like San Francisco, CA, and Lowell, MA the average increases to $51.80 and $40.02 respectively.

Browse all video game designer jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Programmer

Any game development team is incomplete without video game programmers, who create software to bring the game concept to life. Video game programmers also collaborate with the technical department to conduct quality assurance tests, identify and resolve bugs.

Most video game programmers typically hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in game programming and development, computer science, or a related field. The yearly estimated salary for computer programmers in the U.S. averages $47.02 per hour and ranges from $34.84 to $59.64 depending on your location.

Browse all video game programmer jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Artist/Animator

Video game artist and animator are two of the best jobs to land if you like to draw. Using software and hand-drawn designs you will create the videogame animations, including environments, vehicles, objects, and characters. In this role, you need great communication and teamwork skills as the success of your final products strongly depends on collaborating with other members of the team.

These gaming careers usually require a bachelor’s degree in computer graphics or multimedia studies, and experience with 2D and 3D animation. The national average salary for animators and multimedia designers is $47.57 per hour and in cities like San Francisco, CA, and San Jose, CA this rises to over $78.74 per hour.

Browse all animator jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Audio Engineer

Video game audio engineers have one of the most creative and fun video game careers of all. They oversee the production of the video game soundtrack, which can include composing and performing music, mixing characters’ voices and recording, editing, and masting sound effects. Like other gaming industry jobs, video game audio engineers must collaborate with the rest of the team and be deadline-driven.

The ideal candidates for audio engineer jobs in the video game industry have a bachelor's degree in audio engineering, recording arts, music technology, or a related field, and a portfolio showcasing their talent and skills. The estimated hourly salary for audio engineers in the U.S. averages $24.36 and ranges from $18.95 to $32.74 depending on your location.

Browse all audio engineer jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Localization Specialist

Video game localization specialists are essential for translating games from one language to another, while ensuring the player experience isn’t lost in translation. Thanks to video game localization specialists, a game can reach a larger audience and have greater success worldwide.

Along with proficiency in at least two languages, localization specialist jobs for gamers typically require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and experience with CAT tools. The average salary for localization specialists and translators in the U.S. is $25.79 per hour but can range from $19.92 to $35.30 per hour depending on the location.

Browse all video game localization jobs available on Monster.

Video Game QA Tester

Video game QA testers have one of the most entertaining jobs for gamers but be aware that this role is not all fun and games. Testers play the gaming software, push it to the limit, and sometimes even try to exploit weaknesses and bugs. In this role, you’ll help the whole development team create a great game with an awesome player experience.

This is one of those careers in gaming where having a bachelor’s degree isn’t always necessary. The main requirements are usually great gaming and reporting skills, and of course you must enjoy playing games. If, however, a specific role requires more technical reporting, candidates with a degree are usually preferred. The average salary for software QA testers in the U.S. is $31.92 per hour and in high-demand job locations like Austin, TX, and Chicago, IL are $30.04 and $34.45 respectively.

Browse all game tester jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Market Research Analyst

Video game market research analysts analyze industry and market data, gather customer feedback, and monitor trends to develop new marketing strategies. Their goal is to increase a game’s success and profitability, by gathering data about gamers’ buying habits, demographics, needs, and preferences.

To work as a video game market research analyst, you typically need a bachelor's degree in market research, marketing, communication, or a related field. The estimated hourly salary for market research analysts in the U.S. averages $45.71 and ranges from $35.25 to $60.64 depending on your location.

Browse all market research analyst jobs available on Monster.

Video Game Marketing Manager

Video game marketing managers are crucial to a game’s success as they develop marketing plans to advertise the game through different platforms. Part of their job is to allocate budgets, train team members, study competitors and best practices to improve results, and report on marketing campaign outcomes.

Video game marketing managers usually hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, communication, business, or similar. Monster’s salary tool reports that the estimated national average salary for product marketing managers is $67.33 per hour. Depending on the job location, their hourly salary ranges from $49.55 to as high as $95.45.

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Video Game Technical Support Specialist

Figuratively speaking, video game technical support specialists are a combination of heroes and wise wizards. They come to the players’ rescue and, using their technical knowledge of computers and video games, help them solve technical issues they encounter while playing. In this role, you’ll typically assist players via email, phone calls, and online chat.

Video game technical support specialists typically receive training on the job. Nonetheless, you still need to have a good basic knowledge of common computer and software troubleshooting as well as great customer service skills. The average hourly salary of a computer support specialist in the U.S. is $27.83 and ranges from $21.79 to $35.44 depending on the location.

Browse all IT support specialist jobs available on Monster.

Professional eSport Gamer

Professional eSport gamers play video games full-time, either alone or as part of a team of other players. They can compete in leagues and tournaments for prizes, stream online to reach a wider audience, attend events, and gain sponsors. They are passionate about gaming and practice daily to maintain their pro status.

To work as a professional eSport gamer, the most important requirement is to be extremely skilled in playing a specific video game. Typically, you don’t need a degree but it is best if you have at least a high school diploma or GED to help you learn important soft skills. Professional eSport gamers’ earnings can greatly vary depending on the players’ skills, results in tournaments, time commitment, the popularity of the game, sponsors, and more.

Browse all eSports jobs available on Monster.

Other Video Game Careers

If none of these jobs in the video game industry are to your liking, don’t despair. In this article, we picked the most sought-after and highest-paying gaming careers, but there are many others out there. Moreover, there are new technologies and tools are still being invented and every so often create new gaming industry jobs and specializations.

If you want a career in the video game industry but you’re not sure which role to pick or which direction to take in your studies, keep the following best degree for gamers in mind:

• Computer Science
• Video Game Programming and Development
• Computer Animation
• Interactive Media Design
• Software Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Sound Production
• Graphic Design
• Digital Arts
• Game Design

Browse all video game jobs available on Monster.

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