How To Become A Level Designer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a level designer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Abby Guido

Level designers understand what makes good gameplay. They do not design the whole game--but only a portion of it normally referred to as a "level." They take the specification defined by the gameplay designer and get into the detail: the actions, events, objects, and environment. They also design the characters and the ways they behave.

The level designer brings structure to the game concept by creating the environment of each level and then plotting out the actions within it. This role requires fluency in visual, technical, and storytelling techniques.

They will need a bachelor's degree in game design, computer engineering, or computer science to indulge in this position.

The average yearly salary for a level designer ranges from $36,000 for an entry-level position to $93,000 for a senior position.

What general advice would you give to a Level Designer?

Abby Guido

Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.

Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.

ScoreLevel DesignerUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $96,455

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.2

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 10.42%

Black or African American 3.42%

Hispanic or Latino 10.63%

Unknown 4.99%

White 70.17%

Gender

female 12.79%

male 87.21%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress Level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.5

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.9

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a level designer

Explore level designer education requirements

Most common level designer degrees

Bachelor's

74.9 %

Associate

14.6 %

Master's

5.8 %

Start to develop specific level designer skills

Skills	Percentages
Unreal Engine	10.94%
Unity	10.31%
Maya	10.28%
Lua	6.39%
CAD	5.71%

Complete relevant level designer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New level designers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a level designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real level designer resumes.

Research level designer duties and responsibilities

Produce unique concepts and designs on CATIA of never before achieve mechanisms and body components, which are patented by CHRYSLER.
Tune the complex oracle SQL.
Design game play for puzzle and combat levels.
Programme in Java for development of mature prototype.

Prepare your level designer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your level designer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a level designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Level Designer Resume templates

Build a professional Level Designer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Level Designer resume.

Apply for level designer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a level designer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do level designers rate their job?

-/5

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Level Designer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022

Pros

There is so much to like about working as Graphic Designer ... the seeing how all the elements of words, space, colors, visuals (photos, graphics, charts,...) come together on a page...sharing info with others to learn and use

Cons

When working with others who can not make up their minds as deadline approaches nor take responsibility and blames others for their own "misdoings".