MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
More than 850 games industry professionals – from retail to development – took part in this year’s annual salary survey. We study the results
Last year’s UK average games industry salary was a drop of more than 1,500 compared with 2013’s figure.
But at 29,000, the number is broadly in line with the average UK games industry wage from the last few years (with the notable exception of 2011, where the number was significantly higher at 33,100).
The worrying statistic is the disparity between male and female pay.
Over 18 per cent of those surveyed were female and, as the results show, on average earned 5,750 less than their male counterparts last year.A closer look at the answers shows that this is due to a lack of women respondents who held senior roles, which has long been an issue in the wider games industry.
In terms of individual sectors, many salaries in the games media were actually slightly higher than the ones recorded in 2013. Indeed, 40 per cent of those surveyed said they saw a pay increase last year.
The base games journalist/staff writer role remained steady at 17,500, which has been the average for the past three years.
The retail sector is still the lowest-paid sector to work in, with starting salaries for base store assistants at just over minimum wage.
However, as the results below show, there is significant room for pay increases away from store level.
Retail staff told MCV early last year they were optimistic of pay increases, and they were right. The majority (72 per cent) of those who responded this year said that they did see a slight improvement in their wage in 2014, while a good number of staff (65 per cent) anticipate a pay increase in 2015.
Over in PR, the average community management salary increased to 24,250 (from 23,000), but there remained a radical difference in pay, with wages ranging from as low as 18,000 to over 33,000.
The methodology of our survey is that, during December and January, MCV and our sister title Develop called on personnel from across the games industry to fill in an online survey, which was completed by more than 850 people (20 per cent more than last year).
We’ve calculated the results below as median averages, rather than mean averages. A mean average would otherwise distort the numbers by including a group of very senior contributors who have kindly taken part to help form data for the higher tiers.
Here are the results in full:
AVERAGE UK GAMES INDUSTRY SALARY: 29,000 p.a.
MALE UK GAMES INDUSTRY AVERAGE: 30,000 p.a.
FEMALE UK GAMES INDUSTRY AVERAGE: 24,250 p.a.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Senior PR Manager: 43,750 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
PR Executive: 30,000 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: Unsure
Junior PR: 21,250 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: Unsure
Community Manager: 24,250 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
SERVICES SECTOR
Distribution: 27,500 p.a.
Legal: 46,500 p.a.
Recruitment:25,000 p.a.
Creative and Promotional: 25,500 p.a.
PUBLISHING
Marketing Manager: 44,591 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Sales Manager: 45,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Product Manager: 33,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Producer (External): 30,400 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
MEDIA
Publisher: 46,000 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: Unsure
Editor: 28,375 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Video Producer: 21,750 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Stay The Same
Journalist/Staff Writer: 17,500 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Say The Same
Designer: 23,625 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Say The Same
Production Executive: 20,500 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Sales Manager: 36,573.50 p.a.
Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
RETAIL
Head Buyer:50,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Category Manager:45,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Junior Buyer:32,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Area Manager:35,000 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Store Manager:17,500 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Rise
Sales Assistant:12,500 p.a.
Average Future Pay Expectations: To Stay The Same
UK GAMES DEVELOPMENT
Artist:30,147 p.a.
Lead Artist:41,189 p.a.
Audio:35,386 p.a.
Lead Audio:52,841 p.a.
Coder:38,662 p.a.
Lead Coder:47,317 p.a.
Junior Designer:18,250 p.a.
Designer:23,452 p.a.
Lead Designer:36,598 p.a.
Producer (Internal):37,001 p.a.
Lead Producer (Internal):48,675 p.a.
Production Director:62,000 p.a.
Production Co-ordinator:25,889 p.a.
QA:17,195 p.a.
QA Lead:21,700 p.a
Writer:33,500 p.a.
Creative Director:55,968 p.a.
CTO:92,750 p.a.
MD/CEO:68,686 p.a.
Studio Head:73,907 p.a.
Technical Director:56,275 p.a.
Development Director:59,114 p.a.
*p.a. – per annum
