Your future career should be fun and fulfilling, all while earning a substantial living to support yourself and your family. A career in game design fits that description. There are several areas of job opportunities available to the owner of an online bachelor’s degree in game design. What could be better than playing games and earning money while working?
Being a game design professional allows you to be creative and affords you the opportunity to work in an inventive and resourceful environment. The demand for employees in this field has increased exponentially due to the popularity of video games used on computers, gaming consoles and our cell phones.
If gaming is your passion, then consider these careers:
A Video Game Designer is responsible for the creation of an original video game. The aesthetic look of a game is the first impression that most people are drawn to, therefore, the video game designer is responsible for all visual aspects of the game they are creating. The average salary of a game designer is $85,240 per year, depending on experience. Salaries typically begin at $45,320 and can earn upwards of $129,700 annually with experience.
Game Developers turn the ideas and objectives of game designers into an actual game. After a designer has created an idea, the developer converts the graphics, storylines and layouts into a game that can actually come to life and be considered a playable game. Developers earn a median salary of $83,060 per year, depending on experience.
With your online bachelor’s degree in game design, you may choose to take the artistic path and become a Video Game Animator who combines their love for art with technology. They create images that are fun and interactive within a video game. An animator uses their skills in lighting, texture and movement, as well as movie production skills. Salaries average between $49,481 – $63,214 per year, depending on years of experience.
A Quality Assurance Game Tester sounds like a fun job, doesn’t it? Game testers are hired to play games and achieve different levels to test the game for entertainment purposes, as well as for bugs and programming problems. Video games cannot be released to the public until exhaustive testing has been completed. Testers, on average, earn a salary of between $36,136 – $45,769 annually.
Video Sound Designers create the soundtracks and sound effects for potential video games while writing original music that portrays the mood of the game. They work closely with programmers to assure that the timing of music and effects match with the graphics. Sound designers earn an average salary of $50,346 per year.
The Level Designer is responsible for creating a level-to-level play challenge in a game. They usually place the obstacles and bad guys where they should be and create the ultimate game playing experience for you as the consumer. This position typically pays between $50,000 – $80,000 annually, depending on years of experience.
To summarize, an online bachelor’s degree in game design will allow you to combine your creativity with technology to design games that are fun and challenging for all and allows you to earn a lucrative salary in the process. All positions in gaming are highly competitive so, in addition to your education, work hard to develop your portfolio and take advantage of any internship available to assure you the ultimate career in the game design industry. Game on!
Check out our Best Online Schools for a Bachelor’s in Game Design!