80 Level: 45.6% of the game industry workers are living from a paycheck to a paycheck
For a lot of people, working in the gaming industry is not for the money.
The company surveyed over 1000 employees in various positions within the gaming industry.
❗️Given the portals audience, the survey sample predominantly included programmers, artists, and animators. There might have been a smaller sample among marketers, service department employees, business development personnel, and management.
39.6% of gaming industry employees earn less than $40,000 per year. 19.7% earn less than $20,000 per year.
34% earn between $40,000 and $80,000 per year.
15% have salaries ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 per year.
11% of gaming industry employees earn over $150,000 per year.
Costs of Living
7.7% of developers noted difficulties in meeting basic needs (such as buying food and paying bills).
6.2% have their basic needs covered but cannot afford clothing.
17.4% have these needs covered but struggle with purchasing more expensive household items.
The next category - 22% - can afford all of the above, but buying a car is out of reach for them.
24.4% of employees (who do not fall into the previous groups) have problems buying housing.
Only 16.6% can afford everything they want. The remaining percentage had difficulty answering.
This means that 45.6% of gaming industry employees are working "paycheck to paycheck." They can afford food, clothing, and housing expenses, but purchasing anything more significant is challenging for them.
Regional Differences
A large number of respondents from North America (USA and Canada) earn salaries of $100,000 and above.
In Western Europe (including the UK), the salary range is between $30,000 and $80,000. In France, for example, most industry workers have annual salaries ranging from $20,000 to $49,000.
Salaries in Spain and Poland are lower than the European average.
54% of game developers from India earn less than $10,000 per year.
Salary Expectations in Asia
Quite a few workers and employers from Asia do not expect salary changes in 2024.
The majority of employers believe that salaries should be increased by up to 6% in 2024.
However, employees' expectations are somewhat higher - they would like to see a greater increase.
Salaries and Experience
74% of interns and 27% of young professionals earn less than $10,000 per year.
Mid-level specialists earn between $10,000 and $50,000 per year.
In most cases, Senior-level employees earn between $30,000 and $90,000 per year. 19% of such specialists earn salaries above $150,000.
Team leads and managers earn between $40,000 and $100,000. 24% of them earn above $150,000.
41% of C-level specialists earn more than $150,000 per year. Surprisingly, even among specialists of this level, 19% noted that they struggle to make ends meet. 22% cannot afford to buy a house or apartment.