Fact Check: EA Employees' Average Salary Plummets to $117,000, Lowest Since 2022
What We Know
Recent reports indicate that the median income for full-time employees at Electronic Arts (EA) has dropped to $117,000 in 2024, down from $149,000 in 2023. This figure marks the lowest median salary for EA employees since 2022, when the average was reported at $116,000 (Game File, Rock Paper Shotgun). The data comes from EA's most recent proxy filing, which outlines compensation for both the CEO and the median employee. Notably, the median salary is calculated by identifying the middle salary in a list of employee earnings, rather than averaging all salaries, which can lead to different interpretations of the data (Game File).
Analysis
The claim that EA employees' average salary has dropped to $117,000 is substantiated by multiple sources. The reported figure is explicitly stated in EA's proxy filing and corroborated by articles from reputable gaming news outlets. The decline from $149,000 to $117,000 represents a significant decrease of approximately 21.5%, highlighting a troubling trend in employee compensation amidst rising executive pay. For instance, EA CEO Andrew Wilson's compensation increased to $30.5 million, nearly $5 million more than the previous year, which starkly contrasts with the decrease in median employee salary (Game File, Rock Paper Shotgun).
The reliability of the sources is high, as they are based on official filings and reports from established gaming news platforms. However, it is important to note that EA's methodology for calculating median income has been criticized for its lack of transparency, particularly regarding the selection of the "same median employee" for comparisons across years (Game File). This raises questions about the consistency and accuracy of the reported figures.
Conclusion
The claim that EA employees' average salary has plummeted to $117,000, the lowest since 2022, is True. The evidence from official proxy filings and corroborating reports confirms this significant decrease in median employee compensation, which contrasts sharply with the increasing pay of top executives within the company.
Sources
- EA CEO's pay is up, as EA worker median income drops - Game File
- EA CEO Andrew Wilson got a nice pay bump last year ... - Rock Paper Shotgun
