Also called: Game Sound Designer
Creates sound effects, ambient sounds, and interactive music systems for games.
A game audio designer records footsteps on different surfaces, builds systems so sounds change with the player's location, and works with the composer on dynamic music.
Game industry pay estimates (no single BLS category); big studios pay more but layoffs have been frequent since 2023.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Audio degree plus game engine skills (Wwise, FMOD).
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Sound Design, Audio Engineering, Game Design.
Growing about average. Steady but competitive.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI sound generation covers some effects; adaptive audio systems and signature sounds still need designers.
Classes: Music, Physics (sound), Computer science, Audio or music technology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4014.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.