Thinking about a career in
the game development industry? Well, pick up a copy of GAME DEVELOPER
magazine's July 2002 issue to read the results of its annual game
developer salary survey. The survey indicates that the game
development industry has remained healthy despite the downturn in the
overall U.S. economy. According to GAME DEVELOPER, the average game
programmer's salary is $66,000 and a technical director with six or
more years experience earns an average of $104,000. On average, game
artists earn $61,000 annually, although less experienced designers
report salary averages of $52,000, while game producers earn an
average of $76,000. Not surprisingly, the survey found that developer
salaries are highest in California and Texas, where game development
studios tend to cluster. And although women in most industries
(including game development) still earn less then men, women in the
game industry fare better than most, earning 89 cents on the dollar,
exceeding the national average of 76 cents. "Games are becoming an
ever greater force in mainstream entertainment and culture, and with
this trend comes increased interest in career opportunities in game
development," said Jennifer Olsen, editor-in-chief, GAME DEVELOPER.
"Because game development combines both entertainment and high-tech,
the industry is well positioned to thrive in a variety of economic
conditions." If you can't find a copy of the magazine, the full
article will be available online starting July 18, 2002 at
www.igda.org/salary.htm along with other resources for careers in
game development.

Greg Singer visited this year's Game Developers Conference and
reports on the breadth of events and insights.