Side-by-side distribution
Embedded Engineer
$182,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 48.6%
- Live roles
- 473
Game Developer
$140,510
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21%
- Live roles
- 105
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Engineer, Embedded Vehicle Software
Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Staff Embedded Security Engineer
Embedded SW Engineer
Firmware/ Embedded Systems Engineer
Senior Embedded Linux Engineer - Connectivity
Embedded Software Engineer - Access Control
Embedded Systems Engineer, Autonomous Vehicles - Federal
Senior Embedded Systems Engineer
Embedded Security Engineer
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Software Engineer, Game Safety
Senior Software Engineer - Game Engine Systems (C++)
Senior Software Engineer, Game Engine Systems
Senior Game Security Programmer
AI Game Developer (Designer, Artist, Or Engineer)
Software Engineer - Game Development
Game Security Software Engineer
Mobile Game Security Software Engineer
Senior Game Security Programmer
Senior Gameplay Software Engineer (UE5)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$201,250 | 22 |
SpaceX
|
$145,000 | 13 |
Silvus Technologies
|
$170,000 | 9 |
|
Verkada
|
$232,500 | 8 |
|
Applied Intuition
|
$196,000 | 7 |
TP-Link Systems Inc.
|
$152,500 | 6 |
Latitude AI
|
$200,000 | 5 |
| AX Axon | $183,300 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
2K
|
$119,530 | 6 |
|
Roblox
|
$269,270 | 3 |
|
Epic Games
|
$187,474 | 2 |
| KA KRAFTON Americas | $173,000 | 2 |
|
Applied Intuition
|
$166,581 | 2 |
Zynga
|
$122,790 | 2 |
|
Scopely
|
$211,300 | 1 |
|
Skyboxlabs
|
$147,500 | 1 |
Embedded Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $193,050 | 11 |
| San Francisco | $188,750 | 20 |
| Los Angeles | $181,500 | 16 |
| New York | $178,800 | 5 |
| Boston | $178,750 | 4 |
| Austin | $173,950 | 5 |
| Denver | $157,500 | 4 |
Embedded Engineer vs Game Developer: which pays more?
The median for Embedded Engineer is $182,500 per year (typically $152,500–$205,000), versus $140,510 for Game Developer ($109,593–$195,622). That puts Embedded Engineer about 30% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Embedded Engineer and Game Developer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.