Special Effects Artists and Animators
Special Effects Artists and Animators (SOC 27-1014) earn a median $102,030 a year ($49.06 an hour) in the United States, with 19,970 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What special effects artists and animators do
Special effects artists and animators create effects and animations with film, video, computers, or other electronic tools for products such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials. They design complex graphics and animation, relying on their own judgment and creativity, produce two- and three-dimensional images that show objects in motion or illustrate a process, and make objects or characters look lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency. They apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation, and may take part in designing and producing multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling. Some also create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, and direct mail. Alternate titles include 3D animator, 3D modeler, animation artist, and animation producer. Graphic designers, who produce static graphics, are counted in a separate occupation.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: 3D Animator, 3D Artist, 3D Designer, 3D Modeler, 3D Specialist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $28.17 | $36.29 | $49.06 | $66.89 | $85.15 | $54.27 | 19,970 |
| Annual | $58,600 | $75,490 | $102,030 | $139,130 | $177,110 | $112,870 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where special effects artists and animators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $31.38 | $48.34 | $64.17 | $84.13 | $100.67 | $68.01 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $65,270 | $100,550 | $133,480 | $174,990 | $209,400 | $141,450 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $34.48 | $47.73 | $62.76 | $79.23 | $99.11 | $64.59 | 7,410 | 0.41 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $71,710 | $99,280 | $130,540 | $164,800 | $206,160 | $134,360 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $34.96 | $37.22 | $46.80 | $50.92 | $62.25 | $46.93 | 370 | 0.24 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $72,720 | $77,420 | $97,350 | $105,920 | $129,470 | $97,610 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.94 | $36.74 | $46.52 | $65.79 | $84.71 | $53.25 | 1,540 | 0.16 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $60,190 | $76,420 | $96,770 | $136,840 | $176,190 | $110,760 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $27.57 | $37.30 | $43.89 | $50.54 | $60.09 | $44.75 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $57,350 | $77,570 | $91,290 | $105,120 | $124,990 | $93,080 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $34.48 | $47.73 | $62.76 | $79.23 | $99.11 | $64.59 | 7,410 | 0.41 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $71,710 | $99,280 | $130,540 | $164,800 | $206,160 | $134,360 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.94 | $36.74 | $46.52 | $65.79 | $84.71 | $53.25 | 1,540 | 0.16 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $60,190 | $76,420 | $96,770 | $136,840 | $176,190 | $110,760 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $34.20 | $39.29 | $41.29 | $50.20 | $55.25 | $45.12 | 1,530 | 0.15 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $71,140 | $81,730 | $85,870 | $104,410 | $114,920 | $93,850 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $31.38 | $48.34 | $64.17 | $84.13 | $100.67 | $68.01 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $65,270 | $100,550 | $133,480 | $174,990 | $209,400 | $141,450 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 870 | 0.44 | 3.43 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $47.73 | $58.15 | $75.46 | $90.58 | $103.69 | $77.66 | 510 | 0.45 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $99,280 | $120,950 | $156,950 | $188,410 | $215,680 | $161,540 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $41.52 | $50.51 | $65.76 | $80.81 | $98.95 | $70.17 | 1,440 | 0.61 | 4.71 |
| Annual | $86,370 | $105,050 | $136,770 | $168,090 | $205,810 | $145,960 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $31.43 | $49.53 | $64.48 | $86.04 | $101.13 | $69.13 | 1,030 | 0.49 | 3.84 |
| Annual | $65,380 | $103,030 | $134,120 | $178,970 | $210,350 | $143,790 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $31.12 | $44.82 | $59.90 | $78.22 | $99.47 | $62.62 | 4,650 | 0.74 | 5.77 |
| Annual | $64,740 | $93,230 | $124,590 | $162,690 | $206,900 | $130,260 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $34.92 | $42.26 | $59.08 | $71.10 | $80.76 | $58.06 | 70 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $72,640 | $87,900 | $122,880 | $147,880 | $167,980 | $120,760 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $31.12 | $44.82 | $59.90 | $78.22 | $99.47 | $62.62 | 4,650 | 0.74 | 5.77 |
| Annual | $64,740 | $93,230 | $124,590 | $162,690 | $206,900 | $130,260 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $30.12 | $36.33 | $46.52 | $64.78 | $84.61 | $52.55 | 1,560 | 0.16 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $62,640 | $75,560 | $96,760 | $134,740 | $176,000 | $109,310 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $41.52 | $50.51 | $65.76 | $80.81 | $98.95 | $70.17 | 1,440 | 0.61 | 4.71 |
| Annual | $86,370 | $105,050 | $136,770 | $168,090 | $205,810 | $145,960 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $31.43 | $49.53 | $64.48 | $86.04 | $101.13 | $69.13 | 1,030 | 0.49 | 3.84 |
| Annual | $65,380 | $103,030 | $134,120 | $178,970 | $210,350 | $143,790 | ||||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Hourly | $39.29 | $39.29 | $43.82 | $50.20 | $50.20 | $45.11 | 960 | 0.68 | 5.30 |
| Annual | $81,730 | $81,730 | $91,150 | $104,410 | $104,410 | $93,820 | ||||
Top industries employing special effects artists and animators
Motion Picture and Video Industries employ 29.6% of special effects artists and animators nationally (5,910 jobs) at a median $100,990 a year ($48.55 an hour), followed by Software Publishers (19.6%) and Computer Systems Design and Related Services (10.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 5,910 | 29.6% | $100,990 | $48.55 |
| Software Publishers NAICS 513200 | 3,920 | 19.6% | $127,670 | $61.38 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 2,020 | 10.1% | $103,390 | $49.71 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 1,010 | 5.1% | $86,290 | $41.49 |
| Specialized Design Services NAICS 541400 | 930 | 4.7% | $92,860 | $44.64 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,970). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,790 for special effects artists and animators in May 2021 and $102,030 in May 2025, with employment of 20,430 and 19,970.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,790 | $37.88 | 20,430 |
| May 2022 | $98,950 | $47.57 | 35,990 |
| May 2023 | $99,060 | $47.63 | 29,940 |
| May 2024 | $99,800 | $47.98 | 21,280 |
| May 2025 | $102,030 | $49.06 | 19,970 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
34 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $64.17 | $133,480 | $65,270 | $209,400 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 2.48 |
| 2 | California profile | $62.76 | $130,540 | $71,710 | $206,160 | 7,410 | 0.41 | 3.17 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $46.80 | $97,350 | $72,720 | $129,470 | 370 | 0.24 | 1.84 |
| 4 | New York profile | $46.52 | $96,770 | $60,190 | $176,190 | 1,540 | 0.16 | 1.24 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $43.89 | $91,290 | $57,350 | $124,990 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $43.10 | $89,650 | $59,870 | $100,230 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.45 |
| 7 | North Carolina profile | $42.48 | $88,350 | $53,790 | $120,150 | 370 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| 8 | Utah profile | $42.41 | $88,210 | $29,990 | $152,720 | 320 | 0.19 | 1.44 |
| 9 | Michigan profile | $41.65 | $86,630 | $54,260 | $194,550 | 230 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| 10 | Florida profile | $41.29 | $85,870 | $71,140 | $114,920 | 1,530 | 0.15 | 1.20 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $41.27 | $85,830 | $52,710 | $110,750 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| 12 | Tennessee profile | $39.94 | $83,080 | $60,320 | $170,300 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $39.19 | $81,510 | $47,140 | $138,210 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.73 |
| 14 | Georgia profile | $39.13 | $81,390 | $40,000 | $106,120 | 350 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $39.03 | $81,180 | $60,760 | $136,710 | 630 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $38.77 | $80,640 | $57,900 | $109,820 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Rhode Island profile | $38.48 | $80,040 | $45,810 | $99,060 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Texas profile | $37.95 | $78,930 | $56,020 | $150,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | Indiana profile | $36.18 | $75,250 | $50,920 | $93,090 | 300 | 0.09 | 0.73 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $34.50 | $71,760 | $49,680 | $103,940 | 300 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 21 | Ohio profile | $32.21 | $67,000 | $45,310 | $166,260 | 200 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $32.20 | $66,980 | $50,820 | $77,860 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Missouri profile | $31.48 | $65,470 | $48,020 | $103,740 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $31.24 | $64,990 | $62,070 | $77,990 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $31.20 | $64,890 | $53,270 | $154,340 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 26 | Kansas profile | $30.16 | $62,720 | $56,470 | $102,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| 27 | West Virginia profile | $29.30 | $60,940 | $50,860 | $77,740 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 28 | New Mexico profile | $25.96 | $54,000 | $52,070 | $82,180 | 80 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| 29 | Kentucky profile | $24.51 | $50,970 | $44,700 | $89,930 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| 30 | Nebraska profile | $24.44 | $50,830 | $43,340 | $80,520 | 90 | 0.08 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $22.85 | $47,530 | $39,300 | $104,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Alabama profile | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| – | New Jersey profile | * | * | * | * | 320 | 0.08 | 0.58 |
| – | Oregon profile | * | * | * | * | 870 | 0.44 | 3.43 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-1014 Special Effects Artists and Animators.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-1014, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-1014.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.