Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for special effects artists and animators is $102,030, or $49.06 per hour. About 19,970 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $133,480 in Washington to $47,530 in Iowa.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 31 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $133,480 | $64.17 | 1,130 | 2.48 |
| 2 | California | $130,540 | $62.76 | 7,410 | 3.17 |
| 3 | Nevada | $97,350 | $46.80 | 370 | 1.84 |
| 4 | New York | $96,770 | $46.52 | 1,540 | 1.24 |
| 5 | Colorado | $91,290 | $43.89 | 210 | 0.56 |
| 6 | Arizona | $89,650 | $43.10 | 190 | 0.45 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $88,350 | $42.48 | 370 | 0.58 |
| 8 | Utah | $88,210 | $42.41 | 320 | 1.44 |
| 9 | Michigan | $86,630 | $41.65 | 230 | 0.40 |
| 10 | Florida | $85,870 | $41.29 | 1,530 | 1.20 |
| 11 | Maryland | $85,830 | $41.27 | 170 | 0.49 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $83,080 | $39.94 | 90 | 0.21 |
| 13 | Virginia | $81,510 | $39.19 | 380 | 0.73 |
| 14 | Georgia | $81,390 | $39.13 | 350 | 0.56 |
| 15 | Illinois | $81,180 | $39.03 | 630 | 0.81 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $80,640 | $38.77 | — | — |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $80,040 | $38.48 | — | — |
| 18 | Texas | $78,930 | $37.95 | — | — |
| 19 | Indiana | $75,250 | $36.18 | 300 | 0.73 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $71,760 | $34.50 | 300 | 0.39 |
| 21 | Ohio | $67,000 | $32.21 | 200 | 0.28 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $66,980 | $32.20 | — | — |
| 23 | Missouri | $65,470 | $31.48 | 80 | 0.21 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $64,990 | $31.24 | 30 | 0.08 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $64,890 | $31.20 | 210 | 0.55 |
| 26 | Kansas | $62,720 | $30.16 | — | — |
| 27 | West Virginia | $60,940 | $29.30 | 40 | 0.46 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $54,000 | $25.96 | 80 | 0.68 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $50,970 | $24.51 | 40 | 0.16 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $50,830 | $24.44 | 90 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Iowa | $47,530 | $22.85 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do special effects artists and animators make?
The median annual wage for special effects artists and animators in the United States is $102,030, or $49.06 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $58,600, and the top 10% earn $177,110.
How many special effects artists and animators are employed in the U.S.?
About 19,970 people work as special effects artists and animators nationwide.
Which state pays special effects artists and animators the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $133,480, followed by California ($130,540) and Nevada ($97,350).
Which state pays special effects artists and animators the least?
Iowa has the lowest median at $47,530.
Where are special effects artists and animators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is California at 3.17×.