The median annual pay for VR developers is $97,269 in the United States.
From the collected data, ZipRecruiter has estimated that the median salary for VR developers is $1,870 a week or $8,105 a month. The top-paying jobs offer a wage of $165,500 annually. The pay can range from $26k per year to $180k. However, most of the salaries for VR developers range between $60,000 to $129,500.
How Much Do Virtual Reality Developers Make Per Hour?
The average hourly pay for a VR developer job in the US is $46.76.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
The hourly pay can range depending on experience, knowledge, skills, education, location, and other factors. Since we saw earlier that the pay in the VR Industry could vary a lot, so will the hourly pay.
VR Developer Salary in Some Other Countries?
Canada is the second highest paying country for VR developers’ salary – CA$61,170 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor)
The estimated salary for a VR developer in Canada can range from CA$40K to CA$93K per year.
VR developers in the UK earn an average of £34,770 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor)
VR developer salaries in the United kingdom can range from £23K to £52K per year.
Virtual Reality Developer Salary by Years of Experience
Entry-level VR Developer makes an average of $75,416 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor)
The estimated entry-level VR developers’ salary from 0-1 year of experience can range between $45K to $127K a year. But the most probable range for an entry-level VR developer salary is between $57K to $99K per year.
The estimated pay for a VR developer salary with 1-3 years of experience is $80,522 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor)
The salary can vary from $48 to $135K per year. But the most probable salary range is from $61K to $106K annually.
Median-level VR developer earns an average of $85,697 a year.
(Source: Glassdoor)
VR developers with 4-6 years of experience can earn up to $143k annually. The salary ranges from $52K to $143K a year, but the most probable range is from $66K to $112K annually.
Senior-level VR developers earn an average salary of $90,848 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor)
VR developers with 7-9 years of experience can make up to $151K a year. The possible salary for a senior VR developer wage can range from $55K to $151K, but the probable salary range is from $70K to $119K annually.
VR developers with 10-14 years of experience that have mastered the field earn a salary of $102,052 per year.
(Source: Glassdoor)
The estimated maximum salary for a VR developer with more than 10 years of experience is
$170K. The salary can range from $62K to $170K per year, but the most common range is from $78K to $134K annually.
Expert-level VR developers have an average salary of $114,915 per year.
(Source: Glassdoor)
The pay for expert-level VR developers with more than 15 years of experience in the field can reach up to $190K per year. The possible range for this type of salary can be from $70K to $190K annually, but the most probable range is from $88K to $150K.
| Years of Experience | Annual Total Pay | Salary Range |
| 0-1 year | $75,416 | $45K – $127K |
| 1-3 years | $80,522 | $48 – $135K |
| 4-6 years | $85,697 | $52K – $143K |
| 7-9 years | $90,848 | $55K – $151K |
| 10-14 years | $102,052 | $62K – $170K |
| 15+ years | $114,915 | $70K – $190K |
10 Highest Paying States for VR Developers
The State of New York pays the highest average salary – $115,528 for VR developers across the US.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
The table shows data from ZipRecruiter research about the top-paying States for VR developer jobs. The table is divided into annual, monthly, and pay per hour. New York, New Hampshire, and Wyoming are the top-paying states for VR developers. These States pay way above the national average for this occupation. The State of Wyoming pays more than the national average by 3.4%, and the State of New York pays even 18.8% more than the national average.
| US State | Annual Pay | Monthly Pay | Pay Per Hour |
| New York | $115,528 | $9,627 | $55.54 |
| New Hampshire | $109,704 | $9,142 | $52.74 |
| Wyoming | $100,532 | $8,377 | $48.33 |
| Arizona | $99,979 | $8,331 | $48.07 |
| Montana | $99,257 | $8,271 | $47.72 |
| Hawaii | $98,615 | $8,217 | $47.41 |
| Massachusetts | $98,230 | $8,185 | $47.23 |
| Tennessee | $98,047 | $8,170 | $47.14 |
| West Virginia | $97,462 | $8,121 | $46.86 |
| Indiana | $97,416 | $8,118 | $46.83 |
10 Highest Paying Cities for VR Developers
Atkinson in Nebraska is the highest paying city for a VR developer job, with $123,771 per year.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
As we can see from the table data, Atkinson, San Jose, and Jackson are the top three cities that pay the highest salary for a VR developer job. Another interesting fact is that California has three cities on the list of the top ten most paid VR developer salaries. Atkinson, Nebraska, pays VR developers 27.2% above the national average. Jackson, Wyoming, pays a salary for VR developers 19.6% higher than the national average.
| City | Annual wage | Monthly wage | Hourly wage |
| Atkinson, Nebraska | $123,771 | $10,314 | $59.51 |
| San Jose, California | $116,781 | $9,731 | $56.15 |
| Jackson, Wyoming | $116,336 | $9,694 | $55.93 |
| Frankston, Texas | $116,159 | $9,679 | $55.85 |
| Diamond Ridge, Alaska | $114,872 | $9,572 | $55.23 |
| Inverness, California | $113,250 | $9,437 | $54.45 |
| Seattle, Washington | $113,051 | $9,420 | $54.35 |
| Barnstable Town, Massachusetts | $112,312 | $9,359 | $54.00 |
| Concord, California | $111,348 | $9,279 | $53.53 |
| Norwalk, Connecticut | $111,214 | $9,267 | $53.47 |
Salaries for Other Jobs in VR Industry
VR Engineer Salary
VR engineers earn an average of $117,674 annually in the United States.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
Last updated on December 5, 2022, ZipRecruiter estimated that the average salary for a VR engineer could range from $26,500 to $191,500 per year. Nevertheless, most VR engineers’ salaries range between $85,500 to $146,500. 7% of jobs pay from $176,500 to $191,500 for the top earners. We can see that the median pay varies, even up to $61,000, so many factors determine the salary. Compared to the average annual pay for VR developers – $97,269, VR engineers have a bigger salary of almost $20K per year.
Washington offers the highest average salary for a VR engineer in the US – $128,784 per year.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
The top three States for VR engineer salaries are Washington, Maryland, and New york. The table below shows the average wages for a VR engineer job in the 10 highest-paying US States.
| US State | Average Salary for VR Engineers |
| Washington | $128,784 |
| Maryland | $126,316 |
| New York | $123,447 |
| Virginia | $122,321 |
| Colorado | $120,733 |
| Nebraska | $119,041 |
| Delaware | $118,484 |
| South Carolina | $118,011 |
| New Hampshire | $116,750 |
| Idaho | $116,150 |
VR Designer Salary
A VR designer in the US makes a median salary of $75,169 per year.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
According to data from ZipRecruiter, last updated on December 5, 2022, a VR designer’s salary range starts from $20,500 to $174,500 annually. Most VR designers‘ salaries vary from $41,000 to $100,000 annually. Only 2% of jobs pay a salary from 160,500 to 174,500 per year. Compared to the VR developer’s average wage in the US, VR designers earn less, which is about $22k per year.
VR Specialist Salary
The median VR specialist salary in the US is $51,513 per year.
(Source: ZipRecruiter)
The hourly pay for VR specialists is $25, and the monthly payment is $4,292.
The gathered data from ZipRecruiter suggest that the range for VR specialist pay varies from $22k to $143k. 33% of VR specialist jobs were paid from $22,000 to $32,999 annually. 26% of VR specialist jobs were paid $33,000 to $43,999 annually. 21% of VR specialist jobs were paid $44,000 to $54,999 a year. 1% of VR specialist jobs, the top earners were paid $132k to $143k per year. However, most VR specialists’ salaries vary between $25,000 to $50,000 annually. VR specialists are paid less than the average VR developer’s salary, and the difference is quite significant, approximately $46k per year.
Conclusion
The primary responsibility of a VR developer is to create virtual reality experiences and applications that are entertaining and engaging. This includes 3D modeling, programming, animation, and sound design. A VR developer utilizes software tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and Blender to create a virtual world. They also develop user interfaces and interactions to enable users to interact with their virtual environment. They may also need to incorporate special effects such as motion control and haptic feedback. Finally, they must be able to test and debug their creations to ensure a smooth and immersive experience. When we analyze how VR developers work, we can determine why their salary is highly appreciated. They have many responsibilities, and they have to possess enough knowledge to achieve them. Constant learning and adaptation to new technologies are requirements for their job, so they will be in high demand, and the salary can grow accordingly.
