Average US developer salary at £53k

A survey taken across North American development studios has revealed that the average industry salary currently stands at $79k, or £53k.

It should be noted that, before the recent heavy depreciation of the Pound, that figure would represent about £40k.

US publication Game Developer shows that US salaries have indeed climbed, with 2008’s average annual earnings rising 7 per cent from figures in 2007.

Programmers remain the highest paid members of production, with an average annual salary of $85k. The study also found that those with over six years of experience took 26 per cent more than the average annual salary.

Those in the broad category of art design compiled an average salary of about $69.5k, and yet 28 per cent of art directors had reported lower salaries than the previous year.

Those pinned in the category of game design saw an average salary of $67k, edging up a little from last year’s figures. Meanwhile QA testers with less than three years of experience are once again the proletariat; earning an average of $39.5k with little gains over 2007 salary figures.

More numbers can be found here.