Where the Best Place for a Video Gaming Career?
Sep 05, 2024
Where the Best Place for a Video Gaming Career?
Innovations in hardware and software have made today’s video games a showcase for some of the most innovative electronic technologies, not only attracting those who want to play but also inspiring many who want to be on the cutting edge of creating the next Space Invaders or Doom. So, where’s the best place to launch a gaming career?
Experts at multiplayer card game site World of Card Games gathered data from The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) 2024 Economic Impact Report to find the states who created the most jobs in the industry in 2023 per 10,000 residents. According to the site’s research, the state of Washington created the most jobs in with 13.91 jobs per 10,000 created in 2023.
Following Washington were three other western states. California was second with 11.34 jobs per 10,000 people, Oregon third, with 3.69 jobs per 10,000 residents, and Nevade fourth with 3.23 jobs per 10,000 residents.
Home of Microsoft
Washington and California leading the nation in video game employment is probably no surprise. Washington is the home of tech giants Microsoft and Nintendo. Last year, the Evergreen State's video game industry generated significant economic output, with $7.192 billion generated. The average economic output of the top 15 highest-earning states in the industry was $2.952 billion, meaning that Washington’s output was over two times the average output of the top states.
Related:Video Gaming and the Future of Medical Devices
California, meanwhile, is well recognized as a global epicenter for entertainment and technology. California's dynamic video game industry contributed a staggering $26.097 billion in 2023. This is almost nine times the average economic output of the top 15 states.
Rounding out the top 10 was the District of Columbia, with 2.03 jobs formed per 10,000 individuals.
The top 10 states in video game creation are listed below.
States that created the most gaming industry jobs per capita in 2023
|
Rank |
State |
Employment direct effect (jobs created in 2023) |
State population (2023 est.) |
Jobs created per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Washington |
10,870 |
7,812,880 |
13.91 |
2 |
California |
44,205 |
38,965,193 |
11.34 |
3 |
Oregon |
1,560 |
4,233,358 |
3.69 |
4 |
Nevada |
1,031 |
3,194,176 |
3.23 |
5 |
Texas |
9,437 |
30,503,301 |
3.09 |
6 |
New York |
5,730 |
19,571,216 |
2.93 |
7 |
North Carolina |
2,849 |
10,835,491 |
2.63 |
8 |
Massachusetts |
1,731 |
7,001,399 |
2.47 |
9 |
Maryland |
1,418 |
6,180,253 |
2.29 |
10 |
District of Columbia |
138 |
678,972 |
2.03 |
Source: World of Card Games
Gaming Has a Bright Future
A spokesperson for World of Card Games commented on the findings:
“The video game industry in the US has become a significant driver of employment across various states, contributing not only to the tech sector but also to the creative arts, marketing, and retail sectors.”
Experts are also anticipating an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.41%, leading to a market value of $90.79 billion by 2029.