New study finds kids who play video games earn more money as adults

For many kids, playing video games is as much a part of childhood as learning the ABCs — and it might be might also be beneficial later in life beneficial.

As more colleges, universities and even high schools launch esports teams, playing video games competitively has become a way to land college scholarships, sponsorships and streaming revenue. In fact, the benefits of childhood gaming may help adults earn more money than non-gamer counterparts, even outside of the industry, according to a recent study by edtech company Prodigy Education.

While the study might ease the minds of parents worried video games are inherently harmful, all games are not equally beneficial.

“The teamwork, strategy, and decision-making required by these games translate into valuable professional skills,” James Bigg, corporate communications for Prodigy Education told Technical.ly. “Indeed, skills honed through gaming may be more transferable to the professional world than we initially assume.”

Prodigy Education, whose products are geared toward children in grades first through eighth,  surveyed 1,001 Americans, 40% of whom were parents, about the impact of playing video games as a child. It also examined the top 1,000 posts and comments from 34 popular video game and console subreddits.

It found that, among the people it surveyed, those who played video games as children now earn annual salaries that are an average of $5,451 higher than non-gamers, with FIFA players leading the pack at $70,711 a year. For comparison, the median annual salary for US workers is $59,228, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The benefits of gaming have been studied for decades, sometimes contrasting common beliefs that playing video games leads to mental health problems and antisocial behavior. 

For years, researchers sought to correlate video games with aggressive behavior and illnesses such as depression. While isolated studies seemed to show such a correlation, a 2015 meta-analysis of 101 studies from a time when nearly all video game studies focused on negative outcomes found that video games have very little impact on aggression, mood or the ability to contribute to society.

More recently, a May 2024 report by UNICEF Innocenti found that, when designed for children's needs, video games contribute the well-being of children.

Skills like coding can also be gleaned from gaming

While the skills developed by playing video games can apply to jobs in various industries, gaming can be an especially effective pipeline into STEM fields.

Organizations have popped up to directly bridge that connection. For example, Stephen Sye, CEO and cofounder of Futures First Gaming, an esports education company with a center in Wilmington, Delaware, said the company regularly uses gaming to build skills, both in his work and at home.

“Having five sons, all passionate about gaming, I've seen firsthand how it can lead to valuable skills,” Sye told Technical.ly. “My 7-year-old son, for instance, has developed advanced math abilities, basic coding knowledge and even creates video game levels and edits content.”

Kids interested in not just playing but creating video games learn skills like coding, design and sound mixing can be applied to a wide range of jobs. Plus, a structured setting shapes gaming into a pathway to explore STEM careers, he said. 

“With today’s AI revolution, these tech skills can lead to higher-paying, future-ready roles, allowing kids to step confidently into emerging fields,” Sye said.

While video games can build useful skills, there's another reason gaming may help workers excel: It can be a powerful stress reliever that can help manage a person’s mental health.

“Gaming, for many, offers a productive escape for players to immerse themselves in challenges requiring focus and strategy, taking their minds off of daily stress,” said Bigg. “Moreover, problem-solving under pressure in a simulated environment may bolster the gamer’s capacity for resilience and coping mechanisms in real life.”

PlayStation, Nintendo lead on salary and impact

With many children in the US playing video games, whether on gaming consoles, PC or phone apps, it's no surprise at least some of them will go on to have well-paying jobs. 

Nine in ten respondents from the Prodigy poll said they played video games as a child or teenager, which may be swayed by the fact that Prodigy’s products attract that population. What does stand out, though, is how their experiences varied among different games and consoles

PlayStation players earn the highest average annual salary of $62,276, 12% more than PC users, according to the data. Nintendo consoles, however, may have the most impact, with 70% of respondents having grown up playing on them, shaping their early gaming experiences.

The study also looked at how playing different types of games impacted the community. Beyond the salary data, the study found that the 7.7 million-strong League of Legends Subreddit is the most intellectually engaged, with its complex strategies. 

“The multitude of skill sets required to play League of Legends lends itself to deeper discussions and more varied vocabulary on the subreddit,” said Bigg. “On the other hand, Subreddit communities like Assassin’s Creed and The Legend of Zelda reflect a more upbeat discourse.”  

Engaging socially with other gamers, whether through deep strategic discussions or fun banter, is an often overlooked aspect of competitive gaming. It can help young people get comfortable interacting with a cross-section of people, as many need to do in their real-world jobs. 

Bridging the gap between gaming and real-world positive impact

So, does the data mean allowing kids unfettered access to video games is going to help them succeed? No. 

Playing just for fun has benefits, but it’s not enough by itself to rely on games to help a child thrive career-wise, according to experts in the gaming education field.

“I think that gaming can teach problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity,” said Matt Saponaro, CEO and founder of the coding education AIWhoo School based in Newark, Delaware. 

Gaming also boosts cognitive processing, coordination, persistence, and comfort level with technology, he said. Still, it should be part of a larger range of childhood activities.

“It needs to be balanced with other activities like sports, school, and social time,” Saponaro said. 

At AIWhoo School, that means integrating sports with data science and promoting physical activity while elementary-aged students learn about the technical aspects and build games.

Similarly, Futures First Gaming and similar programs like Nerd Street Gaming in Philadelphia combine mentorship and technical skill-building to make gaming an effective educational tool. 

“Gaming alone offers some benefits,” Sye said, “but it’s most impactful when integrated into a structured learning environment.”