What are the main factors that influence a Freelance Game Developer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Freelance Game Developer's salary?

A Freelance Game Developer's salary grows with experience: starting around $61,906 for beginners, reaching about $63,494 at mid-level, and approach $65,637 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Freelance Game Developer?

Freelance Game Developer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Freelance Game Developer roles are District of Columbia $68,073, California $67,814, Massachusetts $66,911. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Freelance Game Developer roles make?

Salaries for Freelance Game Developer level roles vary by specialization: Senior Game Developer: $116,131; Game Developer: $113,515; Remedy Game Developer: $111,116; Mobile Game Developer: $107,277; Lead Game Developer: $106,911.

How do different companies affect a Freelance Game Developer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Freelance Game Developer roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Freelance Game Developer Salary in the United States

How much does a Freelance Game Developer make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Freelance Game Developer in the United States is $61,482 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, a Freelance Game Developer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $78,121
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,620 to $70,191
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,372

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Freelance Game Developer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,191	$5,849	$1,350	$34
Average	$61,482	$5,123	$1,182	$30
25th Percentile	$54,620	$4,552	$1,050	$26

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Key Factors That Influence Freelance Game Developer Salaries

A Freelance Game Developer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Freelance Game Developer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Freelance Game Developer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $61,906
Early Career (1-2 years): $62,193
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $63,494
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $65,385
Expert (over 8 years): $65,637

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Freelance Game Developer	$61,906
Intermediate Level Freelance Game Developer	$62,193
Senior Level Freelance Game Developer	$63,494
Specialist Level Freelance Game Developer	$65,385
Expert Level Freelance Game Developer	$65,637

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Freelance Game Developer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Freelance Game Developers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,073.
California: $67,814.
Massachusetts: $66,911.

District of Columbia $68,073 California $67,814 Massachusetts $66,911 Washington $66,665 New Jersey $66,640 Alaska $66,554 Connecticut $65,706 New York $65,361

Hawaii $64,261 Rhode Island $63,744 Maryland $63,394 Minnesota $62,914 Colorado $62,730 Illinois $62,668 Oregon $62,435 Delaware $62,263

New Hampshire $62,154 Virginia $61,912 Pennsylvania $61,205 Nevada $60,848 North Dakota $60,732 Michigan $60,547 Wisconsin $60,480 Vermont $60,344

Texas $59,969 Maine $59,945 Arizona $59,908 Ohio $59,865 Georgia $59,299 Indiana $59,016 Wyoming $58,961 Utah $58,875

Iowa $58,838 Kansas $58,543 Louisiana $58,457 North Carolina $58,426 Missouri $58,414 Florida $58,174 Montana $58,045 Nebraska $57,922

Kentucky $57,854 South Carolina $57,608 Tennessee $57,455 Idaho $57,393 New Mexico $56,944 Oklahoma $56,846 Alabama $56,483 South Dakota $55,875

Arkansas $55,543 West Virginia $55,364 Mississippi $54,829

Top Paying Cities for Freelance Game Developers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $77,547
San Francisco: $76,785
Oakland: $75,082

San Jose, CA $77,547

San Francisco, CA $76,785

Oakland, CA $75,082

New York, NY $71,251

Queens Village, NY $70,790

Paramus, NJ $70,298

Passaic, NJ $70,237

Bergenfield, NJ $70,175

Stamford, CT $70,083

Huntington, NY $70,022

Newark, NJ $69,622

Bridgeport, CT $69,499

New Brunswick, NJ $69,296

Vallejo, CA $69,167

Middlesex, NJ $69,130

Somerset, NJ $69,075

Petaluma, CA $68,933

Santa Cruz, CA $68,694

Boston, MA $68,571

Monterey, CA $68,263

Fairbanks, AK $68,220

Los Angeles, CA $68,103

Washington, DC $68,073

Seattle, WA $67,962

Santa Rosa, CA $67,950

Juneau, AK $67,771

Orange, CA $67,568

Anchorage, AK $67,458

Anaheim, CA $67,415

Santa Ana, CA $67,323

Nassau, NY $67,286

Long Beach, CA $67,261

Danbury, CT $67,243

Santa Maria, CA $67,034

Everett, WA $67,021

Bremerton, WA $66,720

Trenton, NJ $66,603

Sacramento, CA $66,579

San Diego, CA $66,548

Brockton, MA $66,523

Tacoma, WA $66,499

Santa Barbara, CA $66,413

Lowell, MA $66,167

New Suffolk, NY $66,142

Nashua, NH $66,068

Lompoc, CA $65,970

Ventura, CA $65,908

Stockton, CA $65,890

New Haven, CT $65,767

Atlantic City, NJ $65,607

Hartford, CT $65,472

Modesto, CA $65,441

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,306

New Britain, CT $65,275

Kennewick, WA $65,189

Olympia, WA $65,189

New London, CT $65,177

Norwich, CT $65,158

Lawrence, MA $65,128

Bakersfield, CA $64,955

New Bedford, MA $64,869

Riverside, CA $64,869

Richland, WA $64,808

Portsmouth, NH $64,759

Vineland, NJ $64,746

San Bernardino, CA $64,697

Boulder, CO $64,525

Worcester, MA $64,476

Portland, OR $64,421

Saint Paul, MN $64,347

Minneapolis, MN $64,347

Philadelphia, PA $64,261

Honolulu, HI $63,935

Springfield, MA $63,720

Providence, RI $63,714

Chicago, IL $63,535

Bellingham, WA $63,461

Baltimore, MD $63,394

Chico, CA $63,240

Wilmington, DE $63,136

Pittsfield, MA $63,074

Manchester, NH $62,957

Spokane, WA $62,687

Denver, CO $62,681

Albany, NY $62,392

Troy, NY $62,367

Schenectady, NY $62,238

Burlington, VT $62,103

Portland, ME $61,888

Salem, OR $61,838

Yakima, WA $61,826

Ann Arbor, MI $61,808

Rochester, MN $61,635

Reno, NV $61,605

Fresno, CA $61,605

Milwaukee, WI $61,549

Detroit, MI $61,488

Allentown, PA $61,469

Carson City, NV $61,463

Houston, TX $61,371

Colorado Springs, CO $61,365

Syracuse, NY $61,334

Eugene, OR $61,217

Gary, IN $61,144

Bismarck, ND $61,144

Galveston, TX $61,144

Springfield, OR $61,094

Medford, OR $60,947

Fort Collins, CO $60,922

Austin, TX $60,873

Mesa, AZ $60,744

Phoenix, AZ $60,732

Dallas, TX $60,713

Reading, PA $60,676

Saint Cloud, MN $60,652

Concord, NH $60,596

Madison, WI $60,572

Utica, NY $60,406

Raleigh, NC $60,357

Las Vegas, NV $60,350

Rochester, NY $60,307

Des Moines, IA $60,301

Atlanta, GA $60,203

Battle Creek, MI $60,184

Salt Lake City, UT $60,166

Lancaster, PA $60,074

Champaign, IL $60,062

Harrisburg, PA $59,988

Durham, NC $59,932

Kansas City, MO $59,926

Kansas City, KS $59,914

Fort Worth, TX $59,908

Boca Raton, FL $59,883

Cleveland, OH $59,877

Columbus, OH $59,865

Pittsburgh, PA $59,859

Richmond, VA $59,834

Indianapolis, IN $59,822

Cincinnati, OH $59,742

Petersburg, VA $59,650

Lansing, MI $59,514

Billings, MT $59,514

Huntsville, AL $59,514

Lebanon, PA $59,508

Pueblo, CO $59,502

Dayton, OH $59,502

Appleton, WI $59,484

Buffalo, NY $59,459

Racine, WI $59,428

Charlotte, NC $59,422

Saint Louis, MO $59,404

Springfield, IL $59,379

York, PA $59,367

Elkhart, IN $59,367

Gastonia, NC $59,361

Benton Harbor, MI $59,361

Beaumont, TX $59,324

Lorain, OH $59,311

Toledo, OH $59,287

Binghamton, NY $59,256

Rock Hill, SC $59,250

Rockford, IL $59,219

Elyria, OH $59,188

Fargo, ND $59,188

Flagstaff, AZ $59,145

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,109

Miami, FL $59,072

Duluth, MN $58,973

Bangor, ME $58,893

Cedar Rapids, IA $58,826

Louisville, KY $58,795

Grand Rapids, MI $58,783

Hialeah, FL $58,777

Casper, WY $58,690

Scranton, PA $58,617

New Orleans, LA $58,598

Virginia Beach, VA $58,592

Akron, OH $58,561

Peoria, IL $58,481

Sarasota, FL $58,469

Green Bay, WI $58,426

Baton Rouge, LA $58,395

Charleston, SC $58,383

Nashville, TN $58,365

Jamestown, NY $58,352

Davenport, IA $58,352

Tucson, AZ $58,322

Cheyenne, WY $58,303

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,285

Tampa, FL $58,272

Omaha, NE $58,260

Evansville, IN $58,236

Port Arthur, TX $58,236

Bradenton, FL $58,211

Santa Fe, NM $58,100

Orlando, FL $58,039

Clearwater, FL $57,971

La Crosse, WI $57,842

Canton, OH $57,842

Grand Forks, ND $57,824

Tulsa, OK $57,805

Albuquerque, NM $57,805

Newport News, VA $57,799

High Point, NC $57,781

Ogden, UT $57,756

Corpus Christi, TX $57,707

Laramie, WY $57,670

Norfolk, VA $57,670

Rock Island, IL $57,633

Saginaw, MI $57,621

Jacksonville, FL $57,615

Salisbury, NC $57,602

Memphis, TN $57,590

Moline, IL $57,559

Fort Myers, FL $57,541

Waterloo, IA $57,461

Spartanburg, SC $57,399

Lincoln, NE $57,369

Fort Wayne, IN $57,356

Birmingham, AL $57,289

Cedar Falls, IA $57,276

Provo, UT $57,270

Springfield, OH $57,264

San Antonio, TX $57,252

Greensboro, NC $57,227

South Bend, IN $57,221

Winston Salem, NC $57,215

Boise, ID $57,196

Savannah, GA $57,153

Muskegon, MI $57,043

Lima, OH $56,969

Lake Charles, LA $56,944

Anderson, IN $56,932

Lexington, KY $56,914

Augusta, GA $56,895

Greenville, SC $56,895

Wichita, KS $56,840

Tuscaloosa, AL $56,840

Columbia, SC $56,785

Bloomington, IN $56,631

Roanoke, VA $56,594

Asheville, NC $56,514

Knoxville, TN $56,409

Shreveport, LA $56,403

Wilmington, NC $56,323

Frankfort, KY $56,207

Oklahoma City, OK $56,164

Chillicothe, OH $56,139

Longview, TX $56,133

Topeka, KS $56,114

Mobile, AL $56,022

Terre Haute, IN $55,998

Erie, PA $55,991

Altoona, PA $55,961

Melbourne, FL $55,942

Amarillo, TX $55,918

Killeen, TX $55,899

Fayetteville, AR $55,850

Sioux Falls, SD $55,807

Chattanooga, TN $55,770

Idaho Falls, ID $55,764

Gainesville, FL $55,635

Portsmouth, OH $55,604

Little Rock, AR $55,592

Lynchburg, VA $55,592

Youngstown, OH $55,567

Lafayette, LA $55,567

Temple, TX $55,543

Daytona Beach, FL $55,530

Clarksville, TN $55,524

Pensacola, FL $55,518

Hopkinsville, KY $55,334

Charleston, WV $55,327

Florence, SC $55,297

Sioux City, IA $55,260

Macon, GA $55,081

Tallahassee, FL $55,075

Fayetteville, NC $55,063

Wichita Falls, TX $55,051

Waco, TX $55,051

Pine Bluff, AR $55,026

Vincennes, IN $54,909

Lubbock, TX $54,885

Great Falls, MT $54,848

Alamogordo, NM $54,842

Abilene, TX $54,793

Rapid City, SD $54,713

Monroe, LA $54,713

Albany, GA $54,676

Huntington, WV $54,670

Jackson, MS $54,663

Greenville, MS $54,657

Parkersburg, WV $54,596

Montgomery, AL $54,583

Johnstown, PA $54,571

Springfield, MO $54,522

Biloxi, MS $54,491

Sumter, SC $54,362

Columbus, GA $54,356

Twin Falls, ID $54,319

Pascagoula, MS $54,239

Kingsport, TN $54,079

Gulfport, MS $54,061

Alexandria, LA $53,858

Fort Smith, AR $53,704

El Paso, TX $53,538

Helena, MT $53,458

Las Cruces, NM $53,262

Harlingen, TX $53,089

Pocatello, ID $53,034

Florence, AL $53,016

Brownsville, TX $53,003

Dothan, AL $52,905

Mcallen, TX $52,874

Columbus, MS $52,419

Altus, OK $52,137

Lawton, OK $52,020

Pierre, SD $51,798

What Skills Can Increase a Freelance Game Developer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 4.98% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Data Analysis (Mentioned in 2.65% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
CFA (Mentioned in 1.8% Job Postings): The Chartered Financial Analyst program is a postgraduate professional certification offered internationally by the American-based CFA Institute to investment and financial professional

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	4.98%
Data Analysis	2.65%
CFA	1.8%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Freelance Game Developer's salary.

Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Microsoft Office: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Initiative	$64,556	5%
Planning	$62,711	2%
Microsoft Office	$62,711	2%
Organizational Skills	$62,097	1%
Problem Solving	$62,097	1%
Attention to Detail	$62,097	1%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Freelance Game Developer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Freelance Game Developers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Freelance Game Developer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $60,781 and $65,758).

Freelance Game Developer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Freelance Game Developer

No Diploma 20.0%

High School 20.0%

Associates 8.0%

Bachelors 56.0%

Masters 16.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	20.0%
High School	20.0%
Associates	8.0%
Bachelors	56.0%
Masters	16.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Freelance Game Developer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Freelance Game Developer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$54,620

Average $61,482/year

$70,191

$4,552

Average $5,123/month

$5,849

$1,050

Average $1,182/week

$1,350

$26

Average $30/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,191	$5,849	$1,350	$34
Average	$61,482	$5,123	$1,182	$30
25th Percentile	$54,620	$4,552	$1,050	$26

Salaries of jobs related to Freelance Game Developer

Salary Trends for Freelance Game Developer

Salaries for a Freelance Game Developer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $57,854 in 2023 to around $56,602 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Freelance Game Developer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Freelance Game Developer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$57,854

2024

$56,935

2025

$56,602

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$57,854
2024	$56,935
2025	$56,602
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Freelance Game Developer

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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