Average salary for level designing

[Silent_night]

Does ne1 know what the Average salary for level designing in a game would be?

 

[HatRabit]

Heres a survey chart i got of some site i cant remember, the site grouped level designers and writers together. I think its for 2002 so its pretty acurate.

 

[KagePrototype]

Because Video Game Design is a relatively new, but flourishing occupation, the Bureau of Labor does not have exact salary figures. According to an article in their publication, The Occupational Outlook Handbook' surveys of placement agencies found that the average salary was between $35,000 and $75,000. Clearly, salary will depend in part on your reputation within the field.

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/articles/videogameindustry.htm

If you're just starting off as a level designer or design artist, you should probably aim for around $25,000 starting. once you work your way up, get raises, the company profile increases etc., expect this to rise to at maximum (and this in a big design company like Id) around $45,000. of course, if you move from design artist to lead game designer, or in an administrative position, expect this to go up to (again, at maximum in a very high-profile company) $70,000. But then you'd be lucky to even reach such a position in the first place.

The video game industry is not made of money, and you won't get that well paid at first. You should really only seek a job in the industry if it's what you treuly want to do with your life -- you have to enjoy it, otherwise what's the point? So don't expect to get lots of money from a job like level designer.

This was all put together from questions I've asked to people on either video game degrees, or in the industry itself.

 

[ACLeroK212]

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/articles/videogameindustry.htm

If you're just starting off as a level designer or design artist, you should probably aim for around $25,000 starting. once you work your way up, get raises, the company profile increases etc., expect this to rise to at maximum (and this in a big design company like Id) around $45,000. of course, if you move from design artist to lead game designer, or in an administrative position, expect this to go up to (again, at maximum in a very high-profile company) $70,000. But then you'd be lucky to even reach such a position in the first place.

The video game industry is not made of money, and you won't get that well paid at first. You should really only seek a job in the industry if it's what you treuly want to do with your life -- you have to enjoy it, otherwise what's the point? So don't expect to get lots of money from a job like level designer.

This was all put together from questions I've asked to people on either video game degrees, or in the industry itself.

if i remember correctly the video game industry made more money, for the first time, last year than the movie industry did........... where the hell's all the money going?

 

[ShadowFox]

if i remember correctly the video game industry made more money, for the first time, last year than the movie industry did........... where the hell's all the money going?

Where do you think..

 

[KagePrototype]

Not into the employees, that's for sure.

When I say the industry isn't made of money, I mean that you're not very likely you get that large a salary unless you become successful.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Where do you think..

not to the designers if that's all their getting paid

 

[ShadowFox]

not to the designers if that's all their getting paid

Well thats business for you. You aren't going to see the profits in most fields. The only way you get the money directly is if your company goes the Valve way and delivers the content directly to the buyer, bypassing the publisher.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Well thats business for you. You aren't going to see the profits in most fields. The only way you get the money directly is if your company goes the Valve way and delivers the content directly to the buyer, bypassing the publisher.

i don't need a buisness lesson here. i know how it works. it was a rhetorical question.

 

[ShadowFox]

i don't need a buisness lesson here. i know how it works. it was a rhetorical question.

Damn.. I guess I'll have to go lecture elsewhere.

 

[Top Secret]

Hmm, I think those are bullshit charts. I've seen people making 6 figure.

 

[Silent_night]

What does a lead designer do exactly?

 

[KagePrototype]

Hmm, I think those are bullshit charts. I've seen people making 6 figure.

Where the hell did you hear one? A level designer, making six figure sums? Maybe if you owned the company, that'd be a different story.

And SIlent_Night, a lead designer would be someone who overlooks the overall design of a game -- they most likely work very closely with the 3D and 2D artists, as well as level designers, to make sure everyone is the way it's supposed to be. Undoubtedly they would put some work in one or more of the areas as well, most likely concept art. Hideo Kojima is a good example of a lead designer.

You have to understand that the game indusry does not have set job titles for everyone -- a 3D artist could mean someone who models in XSi, or someone who creates the architecture of a level.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Where the hell did you hear one? A level designer, making six figure sums? Maybe if you owned the company, that'd be a different story.

And SIlent_Night, a lead designer would be someone who overlooks the overall design of a game -- they most likely work very closely with the 3D and 2D artists, as well as level designers, to make sure everyone is the way it's supposed to be. Undoubtedly they would put some work in one or more of the areas as well, most likely concept art. Hideo Kojima is a good example of a lead designer.

You have to understand that the game indusry does not have set job titles for everyone -- a 3D artist could mean someone who models in XSi, or someone who creates the architecture of a level.

Actually Top Secret is right. The good ones can and do make money like that, you don't have to own a company to pull in that much. Applies to all area's. It's the nerd version of being a celebrity. The more in demand you are, the more famous you are, the more money you can make.

Course, just like being an actor, there's always a downside, you might make a fortune, but then you might end up not working for years.

 

[Varsity]

Heres a survey chart i got of some site i cant remember, the site grouped level designers and writers together. I think its for 2002 so its pretty acurate.

Thought that was in pounds for a second...

 

[KagePrototype]

Actually Top Secret is right. The good ones can and do make money like that, you don't have to own a company to pull in that much. Applies to all area's. It's the nerd version of being a celebrity. The more in demand you are, the more famous you are, the more money you can make.

Course, just like being an actor, there's always a downside, you might make a fortune, but then you might end up not working for years.

Hmm, that makes sense. But then again you'd have to be John Romero to make that kind of salery.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Hmm, that makes sense. But then again you'd have to be John Romero to make that kind of salery.

Not really.. I was making 40k to 50k a few years back, before I setup my own company and I'm FAR from one of the best there is out there. I knew guys making twice almost three, four times as much. They were like the Orlando Blooms and Christina Aguilera's of the CG industry. It's all a case of who you work for, where your located (LA for the best chances) and how important that project is.

Also don't forget its usually in dollars, and people always get paid a lot in dollars, convert it to UK sterling and its not as much

$40,000US = approximately £21,997UK not very much really is it

thats not very much atall. Well, ok it is for a couple of months work but then you might not work again until the same time a year later, so it evens out. It's like in the building trade, my dad would always tell me stories about guys bragging about some new job they got thats bringing in thousands. Then they admit its only for a few weeks work. They'll probably not be able to get another job again for months. So at the end of it a really good wage ends up pretty normal when you have to spread it out for months, covering bills and other deductions.

Course if you can actually hold onto a well paid job like that permanantly (next to impossible in this industry though) then you would be on a VERY good wage. But there aren't many artists or the like, who can remain at the same place for more than a year or so. You move around, one minute working for one company, the next your at another working on a project in direct competition to the one you just did. It's a funny old game.

 

[IchI]

My perfect job would be Concept, 3d modelling + Texture and animation. But I think its vertually impossible to get into the games industry just as a modeller so I would be expected to have this knoledge anyway. I know getting into the games industry is beyond hard and also I won't be making that much money for what I am doing. But its not the money thats attracting me.