Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary
Average salary, salary range, and compensation data for Special Effects Artists and Animators positions across the United States.
Median Annual Salary
$99,800
National average
Salary Range
$57,220 – $174,630
10th–90th percentile
Data Year
2024
Source: BLS
Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary by City
| Location | Median Salary | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $158,070 | $98,940 | N/A |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $142,690 | $74,460 | $221,690 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,260 | $64,790 | $177,310 |
| California | $128,360 | $74,050 | $178,850 |
| New Jersey | $124,300 | $66,290 | $162,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $120,320 | $85,210 | $172,290 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $111,470 | $48,680 | $145,880 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $108,630 | $64,850 | $165,040 |
| Oregon | $108,630 | $64,850 | $165,040 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $108,010 | $60,690 | $124,480 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $103,940 | $59,990 | $171,880 |
| New York | $102,170 | $59,520 | $167,760 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $100,630 | $57,230 | $142,950 |
| Reno, NV | $100,060 | $76,140 | $145,070 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $99,950 | $64,080 | $110,410 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $97,130 | $72,600 | $150,890 |
| Colorado | $95,130 | $60,290 | $114,460 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $92,720 | $56,570 | $135,440 |
| Texas | $88,620 | $52,630 | $140,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $86,740 | $58,910 | $124,800 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $86,580 | $34,710 | $147,590 |
| Nevada | $86,290 | $68,690 | $138,000 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $84,180 | $62,370 | $117,840 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $83,940 | $55,240 | $120,180 |
| Ohio | $83,530 | $53,050 | $148,490 |
| Kansas | $83,210 | $55,150 | $84,820 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,200 | $68,660 | $132,480 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $82,790 | $62,370 | $139,520 |
| Maryland | $81,700 | $52,690 | $117,840 |
| Tennessee | $81,660 | $53,840 | $154,420 |
| Michigan | $80,780 | $46,330 | $174,720 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $80,170 | $56,080 | $96,580 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $79,510 | $58,220 | $134,180 |
| Virginia | $79,100 | $46,370 | $109,050 |
| Georgia | $79,040 | $48,640 | $125,920 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $77,670 | $54,540 | $99,000 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $77,640 | $37,960 | $93,750 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $77,390 | $46,180 | $120,370 |
| Louisiana | $76,720 | $37,960 | $95,160 |
| Massachusetts | $76,500 | $59,990 | $135,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $76,330 | $63,580 | $113,500 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $76,210 | $59,990 | $135,990 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $76,180 | $43,840 | $80,040 |
| Rhode Island | $76,170 | $42,230 | $80,040 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $76,150 | $54,920 | $127,210 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $75,780 | $50,110 | $103,940 |
| Illinois | $74,850 | $63,580 | $105,000 |
| Florida | $73,820 | $55,080 | $126,440 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $73,800 | $50,200 | $97,710 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $73,590 | $49,230 | $107,470 |
| Missouri | $72,320 | $50,220 | $81,210 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $71,440 | $50,220 | $95,430 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $68,940 | $37,530 | $128,050 |
| Richmond, VA | $68,110 | $57,390 | $98,920 |
| Arizona | $67,510 | $53,750 | $93,730 |
| Alabama | $66,060 | $46,880 | $92,780 |
| Ogden, UT | $65,540 | $34,180 | $128,590 |
| North Carolina | $65,000 | $47,460 | $102,700 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $64,020 | $55,080 | $102,260 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $63,630 | $44,190 | $97,130 |
| Utah | $62,820 | $37,530 | $124,990 |
| Tulsa, OK | $62,370 | $62,370 | $62,370 |
| Oklahoma | $62,370 | $50,340 | $66,740 |
| Cleveland, OH | $62,370 | $56,190 | $79,000 |
| Minnesota | $61,790 | $58,620 | $76,190 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $61,790 | $61,790 | $76,190 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $61,050 | $40,230 | $115,590 |
| Iowa | $60,950 | $43,990 | $99,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,390 | $38,140 | $98,210 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $59,840 | $54,800 | $92,420 |
| Tucson, AZ | $58,310 | $48,010 | $77,660 |
| Indiana | $56,260 | $40,920 | $80,280 |
| Wisconsin | $55,970 | $49,860 | $86,510 |
| Madison, WI | $55,970 | $51,680 | $86,510 |
| West Virginia | $53,440 | $50,110 | $66,670 |
| Morgantown, WV | $53,440 | $53,440 | $66,670 |
| Nebraska | $52,660 | $33,280 | $79,920 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $51,660 | $45,410 | $97,130 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $50,370 | $33,280 | $78,870 |
| New Mexico | $50,250 | $47,100 | $78,220 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $48,990 | $22,320 | $95,780 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Special Effects Artists and Animators make?▾
The median annual salary for a Special Effects Artists and Animators is $99,800, with a typical range of $57,220 – $174,630 depending on experience, location, and employer.
What is the starting salary for a Special Effects Artists and Animators?▾
Entry-level Special Effects Artists and Animators positions typically start around $57,220 per year. Salaries increase significantly with experience and specialization.
Where do Special Effects Artists and Animatorss earn the most?▾
Special Effects Artists and Animatorss tend to earn the highest salaries in major metropolitan areas. Use the salary by city table above to compare compensation across different locations.