Game Developer magazine has published the results on its eighth yearly Salary Survey; for 2008 we see video game developers in America have a 7 percent salary increase on average from 2007's figure -- just under $74,000 -- at $79,000.

This seems to be due to "increased asking prices for more experienced professionals."

Programmers have the second highest salaries, superseded only by "high-end businesspeople", taking in an average $85,024. Salary increases are especially rewarding for those that stick with it long-term, as more than six years of experience produces a 26% higher annual income than the average.

The art & animation people clock in with a $69,532 annual figure; 28% of art directors earned less than in 2007, though still make 35% more than "lower status" artists.

Game designers, oddly enough, are making less than the art & animation people at $67,379, this after a $3730 average increase. West Coast designers, it is noted, make 12% more than game designers in the rest of the country.

Producers are paid well at $82,905 (up more than $4000), 21% of which are female -- more than twice the industry average in any other position.

Quality assurance people, bless 'em, make about the same as before, coming in at just under $40,000. Interesting to note is almost half of them don't make it past a third year, and 87% are "lesser experienced." The number of female testers grew 6% in 2007 and 14% last year.

Audio folk are in a fine situation, meanwhile. Sound designers earned 6% more, now up to $78,167, 74% of audio developers reported increases, and 48% of those in the game audio sector have been there for six years or more -- equalled only by producers, with game designers at 40%.

Business & Marketing, as you'd expected, is where all the dough is. Average salary here is $102,143 and is the group which receives the most "additional compensation". Salaries vary significantly amongst the different positions, however, with experienced VPs and executive managers making the most out of any invidual group in the entire industry at $131,085.