Where are you working on getting a degree in game design?

Salary varies greatly depending on the studio, position, and location.

The averages you're looking at are averages for California. $60k may sound like a lot but it's barely livable there.

So if your friend is thinking of being a tester, he'll get minimum wage plus extra for overtime. If he manages to beat out all the other testers looking for the lead spot he'll actually get salary (which I have no idea what it is, but nothing impressive).

If you're friend is wanting to become some sort of designer he should also be prepared for fairly low pay. You'll work hard just like in any of the disciplines but design is such a wide skill set so there's a lot of competition. A lot of competition means they can pay you low. If your friend is looking to become some sort of designer he shouldn't expect to get anywhere near that average even in California at one of the big studios. I believe starting salary for a designer in California is somewhere around $45-50. In Texas it's even less but in my case, I'm actually making good money now and I have excellent benefits so I'm happy.^^

For an artist, it's pretty much the same as above but they usually get paid slightly more in the long run I believe.

If he's going into programming, he'll be much closer to that average number (I think starting salary for a programmer in California is something like $55k on the lower end) but he has to be awesome.

In short whatever discipline he gets into, he should be prepared for lower than average pay and very long hours, in return, he gets to be one of the few people that loves his job.

Just curious, how does your friend plan to get his foot in the door and what does he want to do?

I want to go in as a artist..programing is nerve racking

Honestly, his mind is very hesitant, i told him that the pay isnt all that much impressive and he said that he knew, but know hes looking at a different thing and I think he wants to be a programmer or a designer anything works is what he said

Hopefully he makes up his mind because the anything works attitude isn't going to get him anywhere.  Getting a job in the gaming industry when you have experience is hard enough but getting your first entry job is A LOT of work and have to be pretty commited to what you're wanting to do.

Tell him to concentrate on whichever one he enjoys doing more and just do that, being a jack of all trades isn't nearly as appealling as people think it is.

If you were lead designer on a game like Modern Warfare 2, you would make ENORMOUS amounts of money.

If you were assistant character design for Hannah Montana: The Game, you wouldn't make very much at all.

Alright man, ill tell him thanks