Game Developer Research is pleased to announce the debut of its sixth report, the 'Game Developer Salary Report: 2004-2008.' The in-depth 71-page report supplements the 2007 Salary Survey included in the April 2008 issue of Game Developer magazine and includes a full salary, benefits, and bonuses comparison for American, Canadian, and European game industry salaries over that time period.

Overview

 


The 'Game Developer Salary Report: 2004-2008' was conducted February-March 2008 with the assistance of research firm Audience Insights. More than 4,860 responses were gathered from participants in total. The survey excluded salaries under $10,000 as well as salary figures from students and educators. The small number of reported salaries over $202,500 was excluded to prevent their high numbers from unnaturally skewing the average. The sample represented in the salary survey can be projected to the overall game developer community with a margin of error for the U.S. statistics of plus or minus 1.7% at a 95% confidence level.

These trends include detailed data for year-over-year results from 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, leading to prediction possibilities over all disciplines, including programming, art, audio, production, Q/A, business, and beyond. This makes it an essential purchase for HR professionals, business owners, investors and government entities wanting to know how game salaries are changing over time.

There is also further segmenting of the data to show average salaries for select Canadian provinces and European countries, as well as many other newly exposed details, thanks to the in-depth surveying of Game Developer/Gamasutra readers and GDC attendees, with over 4,860 responses for this year.

Table Of Contents

The full table of contents for 'Game Developer Salary Report: 2004-2008' is as follows:

1. Introduction 4

2. Methodology 5

3. Game Developer Salary Report 2004 - 2008 6

3.1. Programming 6
3.1.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 6
3.1.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 8
3.1.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 9
3.1.4. Salary by Year by Region 2004 - 2007 10

3.2. Art & Animation 11
3.2.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 11
3.2.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 13
3.2.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 14
3.2.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 16

3.3. Game Design 16
3.3.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 16
3.3.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 18
3.3.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 19
3.3.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 20

3.4. Production 21
3.4.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 21
3.4.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 23
3.4.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 23
3.4.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 25

3.5. Quality Assurance 25
3.5.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 25
3.5.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 27
3.5.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 28
3.5.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 29

3.6. Audio 30
3.6.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 30
3.6.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 32
3.6.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 32
3.6.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 34

3.7. Business and Legal 35
3.7.1. Salary and Experience Comparisons 2004 - 2007 35
3.7.2. Discipline Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 37
3.7.3. Additional Compensation and Benefit Comparisons 2004 - 2007 38
3.7.4. Salary by Year by Region Comparisons 2004 - 2007 39

3.8. Overall 40
3.8.1. Gender Comparisons 2004 - 2007 40
3.8.2. Education and Salary Comparisons 2007 41

3.9. Additional Data 43

3.9.1. U.S. Regional Data 43
3.9.1.1. Respondents by U.S. State 2007 43
3.9.1.2. Top Ten U.S. States by Overall Salary 2004 - 2007 43
3.9.1.3. Overall Top Five U.S. States by Salary 2004 - 2007 45
3.9.1.4. Top Five U.S. States by Salary by Discipline 2007 45
3.9.1.5. U.S. Regions by Salary Comparisons 2004 - 2007 46
3.9.1.6. U.S. Homeowner Comparisons 2005 - 2007 48
3.9.1.7. U.S. Age Comparisons 2007 50
3.9.1.8. U.S. Method of Gaining Employment Comparisons 2007 51

3.9.2. Canadian Regional Data 53
3.9.2.1. Canadian Salary by Disciplines Comparisons 2005 - 2007 53
3.9.2.2. Canadian Programmer and Visual Art Comparisons 2005 - 2007 53
3.9.2.3. Canadian Game Design and Q/A Comparisons 2005 - 2007 54
3.9.2.4. Canadian Audio and Production Comparisons 2005 - 2007 55
3.9.2.5. Canadian Business and Legal Comparisons 2005 - 2007 56
3.9.2.6. Canadian Respondents by Province 2007 57
3.9.2.7. Top Four Canadian Provinces by Salary and Discipline 2007 57
3.9.2.8. Canadian Age Comparisons 2007 58
3.9.2.9. Canadian Method of Gaining Employment Comparisons 2007 59

3.9.3. European Regional Data 61
3.9.3.1. European Salary by Discipline Comparisons 2005 - 2007 61
3.9.3.2. European Programmer and Visual Arts Comparisons 2005 - 2007 61
3.9.3.3. European Game Design and Q/A Comparisons 2005 - 2007 62
3.9.3.4. European Audio and Production Comparisons 2005 - 2007 63
3.9.3.5. European Business and Legal Comparisons 2005 - 2007 64
3.9.3.6 European Respondents by Country 2005 - 2007 65
3.9.3.7. Top Five European Countries by Salary by Discipline 2007 66
3.9.3.8. European Age Comparisons 2007 67
3.9.3.9. European Method of Gaining Employment Comparisons 2007 68

4. Conclusion 70

5. Appendix 71

Availability

The 'Game Developer Salary Report: 2004-2008' report is now available for paid digital download for a price of US $2,995. Any questions about payment, delivery methods, or further licensing of the data can be directed to Game Developer Research at research@gdmag.com.

 

 



Copyright © 2007 CMP Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms Of Service