Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 20K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$102,030
Median hourly
$49
Average annual
$112,870
Typical range
$58,600–$177,110
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Special Effects Artists and Animators is $102,030 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $49 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials..
Most earn between $58,600 and $177,110 a year. There are roughly 20K people employed as special effects artists and animators in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
- Hourly
- $49.05
- Daily
- $392
- Weekly
- $1,962
- Bi-weekly
- $3,924
- Monthly
- $8,503
- Annual
- $102,030
$102,030 a year is around the 50th percentile for Special Effects Artists and Animatorss. The median is $102,030.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$133,480
- 2California$130,540
- 3Nevada$97,350
- 4New York$96,770
- 5Colorado$91,290
- 6Arizona$89,650
- 7North Carolina$88,350
- 8Utah$88,210
- 9Michigan$86,630
- 10Florida$85,870
- 11Maryland$85,830
- 12Tennessee$83,080
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$156,950
- 2San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$136,770
- 3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$134,120
- 4Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$124,590
- 5Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$122,880
- 6San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$118,750
- 7Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$109,320
- 8Reno, NV$105,240
- 9Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$101,730
- 10New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$96,760
- 11Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$96,670
- 12Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$95,420
Related job titles
Employers advertise Special Effects Artists and Animators roles under these titles.
- 3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator)
- 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist)
- 3D Designer (Three-dimensional Designer)
- 3D Modeler (Three-Dimensional Modeler)
- 3D Specialist (Three-Dimensional Specialist)
- Animation Artist
- Animator
- Anime Artist
- Anime Designer
- Cartoon Animator
- Cartoon Artist
- Civil 3D Designer (Civil Three-Dimensional Designer)
- Computer Artist
- Computer Graphics Illustrator
- Digital Content Producer
- Digital Media Designer
Related occupations
What a Special Effects Artists and Animators does
- Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
- Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
- Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
- Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
- Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
- Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Special Effects Artists and Animators make?
- The median annual wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators is $102,030 ($49 per hour). Pay ranges from about $58,600 at the 10th percentile to $177,110 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Special Effects Artists and Animators?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $112,870, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Special Effects Artists and Animatorss the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $133,480.
- Is Special Effects Artists and Animators a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 20K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Special Effects Artists and Animators do?
- Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.; Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.; Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking..