Video Game Tester Salary Guide

Key takeaways

Video game testers earn above-average salaries in the United States. Discover some important facts to know: 

• The annual median total salary for a video game tester is $58,000, according to Glassdoor [1].

• Top-paying cities for video game testers include Bellevue, Sunnyvale, and Austin. 

• You can prepare for a career in video game testing by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science, animation, or business.

Explore exactly what a video game tester does and what you can expect for a video game tester's salary. If you’re just starting out in the design field, consider enrolling in the Xbox Graphic Designer Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to develop expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, and more. 

What is a video game tester?

A game tester ensures a video game is exciting, playable, and error-free. You spend time playing each part of a game, ensuring it runs smoothly, is free of glitches and bugs, and has aligned features that work together properly. In this role, you may play through an entire game, testing each level, character, menu selection, and any other aspect of playing the game that a real-world user might encounter. 

Gaming is a large part of video game testing, but the role calls for more than hanging out and playing games. As a gaming tester, you also need to write detailed reports on each aspect of a game and its usability and provide feedback to developers about how they could make the game better or more enjoyable. 

The difference between a game tester and a QA tester

There are two main roles that a game tester typically takes on. Video game testers and quality assurance (QA) testers work to improve games, but their roles are slightly different:

• Playtesters focus on testing the user experience of a game, such as where it becomes boring or vague, how fun it is to play, and how many victories you can experience on the way to meeting the game’s objective. They understand what makes a video game great or compelling and look for ways to make a game more enjoyable, easier to use, and bug-free for smooth playback. 

• Quality assurance testers focus on identifying technical issues with games, such as glitches, bugs, and inconsistencies. They ensure that games meet a certain development standard.

Professional video game tester salary

According to various job sites, the average video game tester salary ranges between $31,769 and $75,099 in the United States. The average annual base salaries per these sources are listed in the table below [1,2,3,4,5,6]. 

*Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Factors that affect video game tester salary

The estimates above offer an average salary for video game testers, but you will find that several factors can impact how much you can earn. These can include your geographic location, the size of the company that hires you, and your level of experience. Take a closer look at how these factors affect video game tester salaries. 

Education

A video game tester is an entry-level position that doesn't always require specific education beyond a high school diploma. However, roughly 54 percent of video game testers have a bachelor's degree, according to Zippia, while another 22 percent have an associate degree [7]. Top gaming companies, which usually have higher salaries and opportunities for advancement, generally ask for a degree when advertising video game tester positions. However, some companies may also value professional certifications or work experience. If you choose to earn a degree, consider a major like computer science, animation, or business. 

According to Zippia, the average video game tester's salary will vary based on your level of education [7]: 

• Some college/associate degrees: $28,645

• Bachelor’s degree: $37,049

• Master’s degree: $43,374

Read more: Game Development Degrees and Alternatives

Experience

Experience and a love of gaming are important factors in a role like video game tester. If you game in your spare time, you understand what users seek, which is important as a tester. Salary in this field typically increases with experience. 

Glassdoor reports the following median annual total salaries for video game testers based on experience [1]: 

• 0–1 years of experience: $55,000

• 1–3 years of experience: $59,000

• 4–6 years of experience: $63,000

• 7–9 years of experience: $68,000

• 10–14 years of experience: $74,000

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Location

Another significant factor in your pay is where you work geographically. According to Indeed, the highest paying cities to work as a video game tester are [6]: 

• Bellevue, WA: $229,874

• Sunnyvale, CA: $177,590

• Austin, TX: $170,065

• Los Angeles, CA: $90,258 

• Redmond, WA: $80,333

• Grapevine, TX: $59,950 

• Eden Prairie, MN: $54,518

Contract type

Although some video game testers have full-time positions with studios, many studios fill these positions through contract work. If you work as a contractor, you will be responsible for paying your own taxes, as your client will not be responsible for withholding taxes. As a salaried employee, you likely have additional benefits like health insurance that are part of the overall compensation package. As a contractor, you may be able to work at another job or attend school and test games in your spare time. 

Job outlook and career advancement

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for software developers, QA analysts, and testers is excellent, with a 15 percent growth rate between 2024 and 2034 [8]. This growth is creating more opportunities for jobs within the industry. The video game industry generated $475.04 billion in 2024, and is set to grow by $258.18 billion between 2024 and 2030, reaching approximately $733.22 billion by the end of the forecast period [9]. Gaming saw a boost in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing new users in, and demand will likely continue based on advances in gaming and the increased atmosphere for social gaming.

Video game testing is one way to get into the growing game development industry, although you could also take other pathways into the industry. After gaining some experience in the field, you could move into related positions such as: 

• Quality assurance engineer: $105,000 [10]

• Content designer: $89,000 [11]

• Software developer: $121,000 [12]

• Programmer: $100,000 [13]

• Information systems manager: $143,000 [14]

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Video game tester skills

With experience comes the development of relevant skills. The more skills and experience you have, the more likely you are to progress to senior roles. Skills to develop to improve in your role as a video game tester include:

Technical skills:

• Testing

• Computer and game console skills

• Bug reports

• Quality assurance

Workplace skills:

• Communication

• Creativity

• Problem-solving

• Working well in a team setting

Explore our free resources on game development

Join Career Chat on LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications. Learn more about game development with our other free digital resources:

• Watch on YouTube: Unreal Engine Navigation: Keys, Mouse, and Camera

• Hear from an insider: Meet the Video Game Designer Who’s Leveling Up with AI

• Develop a skill: A High-Income Skill for Creatives: User Experience

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