From Avid Gamer to Professional Dungeon Master: Mari Murdock’s Unconventional Career Path

Mari Murdock is a professional game master who earns her living by organizing and narrating tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. She didn’t expect running D&D sessions to turn into a paying gig at first, but as she grew more confident in the skills required for this job while playing through college, opportunities presented themselves. Currently, Murdock makes $24,000 annually working as a dungeon master with Dungeon Master Direct, a company specializing in online and offline roleplaying sessions ranging from $375 to $750 each time. In addition, she earns an extra $13,000 teaching creative writing at Westminster College while living alongside her husband who takes home about $96,000 per year working for a government agency as its communication director in Salt Lake City where they reside. The couple owns their house worth half a million dollars and is paying off credit card debt accumulated during the pandemic with nearly $1400 allocated monthly to cover this expense alone while also saving up funds for retirement through Scott’s 401(k) plan, pension, or fostering/adopting children once they become financially stable. Murdock hopes to continue her career as a game master and freelance writer, learning more about storytelling from the role by applying these skills in creative writing endeavors.