Scottish dev earnings rocket over £5k

The average wages for a Scotland-based game developer has risen over £5,000 in the space of twelve months, new data shows.

Staff at Scottish studios and microstudios make an average of £30,500, it was revealed today in a comprehensive salary survey conducted by Develop and MCV.

Average 2010 dev earnings in Scotland was put at £25,000, according to Develop’s salary survey.

The rapid rise to £30,500 puts Scottish dev wages just £4,875 behind London’s.

Living costs in Scotland – which are typically far lower than those living in the English capital – could mean the country offers more money for developers to take home.

The sudden collapse of Dundee studio Realtime Worlds, and the rise of digital indies across the country, are just two theories for the rapid wage jump.

For the UK in full, the average earnings for a game developer is £32,203 ($50,794).

The figures were calculated as part of a comprehensive salary survey conducted by Develop and MCV, which in this portion drew upon answers from 298 game developers across the globe.

A regional breakdown, shown below, reveals average wages across the UK, and further down the 2010 figures are published.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN – 2011

South West England – £30,000
South East England – £29,729
East England – £28,194
East Midlands – £29,642
West Midlands – £25,583
Yorkshire & Humberside – £26,500
North West England – £27,308
North East England – £24,318
Scotland – £30,500
London – £35,375

[2010 Figures]

South West – £31,750
South East – £32,692
East England – £30,833
East Midlands – £29,305
West Midlands – £24,852
Yorkshire & Humberside – £27,000
North West – £33,125
North East – £34,445
Scotland – £25,000
London – £33,681