Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for special effects artists and animators in the U.S. is $102,030 ($49.06 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $102,030
- Mean annual wage
- $112,870
- Median hourly wage
- $49.06
- Employment
- 19,970
19,970 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,600 | $28.17 |
| 25th percentile | $75,490 | $36.29 |
| Median (50th) | $102,030 | $49.06 |
| 75th percentile | $139,130 | $66.89 |
| 90th percentile | $177,110 | $85.15 |
Highest-paying states for special effects artists and animators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $133,480 | 1,130 |
| California | $130,540 | 7,410 |
| Nevada | $97,350 | 370 |
| New York | $96,770 | 1,540 |
| Colorado | $91,290 | 210 |
| Arizona | $89,650 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $88,350 | 370 |
| Utah | $88,210 | 320 |
| Michigan | $86,630 | 230 |
| Florida | $85,870 | 1,530 |
Lowest-paying states
- Iowa: $47,530 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $50,830 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $50,970 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $54,000 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $60,940 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.
- Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
- 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.
- Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
- Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 14.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.0% |
| Associate's degree | 9.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 41.9% |
| Master's degree | 12.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.