Design the gameplay, levels, mechanics, and systems that make video games fun. One of the most sought-after creative roles in the games industry. Median salary in Pasadena: $78K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Pasadena, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Video Game Designers in Pasadena earn approximately 5% lower than the US national median for this role — a $4,000 discount on annual base salary. Pasadena's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 88 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Pasadena's cost-of-living index (88), the median Video Game Designer salary buys the equivalent of $88,636 in a US-average-cost city. That's $6,636 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $7,254 per year at this salary level compared to a California Video Game Designer on the same gross pay. A Pasadena Video Game Designer would need to earn $85,998 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $78K by 2030.
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The median Video Game Designer salary in Pasadena, TX is $78,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Pasadena–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Video Game Designers in Pasadena with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $55,000 and $78,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $78,000 to $107,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $107,000 to $145,000 or more.
Pasadena has a cost of living index of 88 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 12% further in Pasadena than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Pasadena-based Video Game Designers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in Game Design or CS; strong portfolio. This role is 60% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Pasadena-based professionals.