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Animator salary
Average animator salary
$76,853
Average Animator Salary
The average salary for an animator in the United States is $76,853 per year, or approximately $37 per hour. This figure varies significantly depending on factors such as experience, location, and the specific industry. For example, animators in the film and video industry tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in other sectors.
Animator Salary by State
Salary levels can differ widely by state. For instance, states like California and New York offer some of the highest average salaries for animators, reflecting the concentrated demand for creative talent in major entertainment hubs. In contrast, animators in other regions may find lower average wages, but potentially lower living costs.
Career Opportunities
Animators can find roles in various fields, including video game development, film production, and educational content creation. By specializing in areas like 3D animation or visual effects, animators can enhance their earning potential and job prospects. As technology continues to evolve, so do opportunities within this creative profession.
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Where can an Animator earn more?
Animator salary estimates from across the web
Average animator salary by state
The highest-paying states for animators are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average animator salary states are Alabama, Mississippi, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for animators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $110,222 | $52.99 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $111,615 | $53.66 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $111,100 | $53.41 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $107,435 | $51.65 |
| 5 | California | $100,457 | $48.30 |
| 6 | Washington | $94,153 | $45.27 |
| 7 | Utah | $85,279 | $41.00 |
| 8 | Delaware | $109,181 | $52.49 |
| 9 | Nevada | $130,776 | $62.87 |
| 10 | Maryland | $93,161 | $44.79 |
| 11 | Idaho | $86,858 | $41.76 |
| 12 | Virginia | $87,039 | $41.85 |
| 13 | New York | $80,610 | $38.75 |
| 14 | Oregon | $79,764 | $38.35 |
| 15 | Maine | $79,162 | $38.06 |
| 16 | Michigan | $77,245 | $37.14 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $77,366 | $37.20 |
| 18 | Iowa | $75,676 | $36.38 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $79,533 | $38.24 |
| 20 | Ohio | $74,182 | $35.66 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $74,148 | $35.65 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $65,360 | $31.42 |
| 23 | Kansas | $73,198 | $35.19 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $74,476 | $35.81 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $73,914 | $35.54 |
| 26 | Arizona | $69,716 | $33.52 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $56,881 | $27.35 |
| 28 | Vermont | $67,008 | $32.22 |
| 29 | Indiana | $72,718 | $34.96 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $72,700 | $34.95 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $67,115 | $32.27 |
| 32 | Illinois | $60,452 | $29.06 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $68,739 | $33.05 |
| 34 | Texas | $56,508 | $27.17 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $67,405 | $32.41 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $56,541 | $27.18 |
| 37 | Alaska | $63,261 | $30.41 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | $52,928 | $25.45 |
| 39 | Florida | $53,349 | $25.65 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $55,002 | $26.44 |
| 41 | Georgia | $51,462 | $24.74 |
| 42 | Colorado | $55,102 | $26.49 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $42,990 | $20.67 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $45,012 | $21.64 |
| 45 | Alabama | $49,920 | $24.00 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $51,289 | $24.66 |
| 47 | Missouri | $50,023 | $24.05 |
| 48 | Montana | $50,672 | $24.36 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $49,034 | $23.57 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $42,717 | $20.54 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $41,762 | $20.08 |
Highest paying cities for animators
The highest-paying cities for animators are Las Vegas, NV, Novato, CA, and Greenwich, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $130,424 | $62.70 |
| 2 | Novato, CA | $111,758 | $53.73 |
| 3 | Greenwich, CT | $110,980 | $53.36 |
| 4 | Vancouver, WA | $95,164 | $45.75 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $93,462 | $44.93 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $80,766 | $38.83 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,717 | $37.36 |
| 8 | Cary, NC | $76,101 | $36.59 |
| 9 | Fort Lee, NJ | $72,958 | $35.08 |
| 10 | Glendale, AZ | $70,123 | $33.71 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $64,833 | $31.17 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $60,767 | $29.21 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $56,570 | $27.20 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $55,027 | $26.46 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | $53,393 | $25.67 |
| 16 | Boston, MA | $52,991 | $25.48 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $51,687 | $24.85 |
Animator salary details
An animator's salary ranges from $52,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $112,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an animator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| 75th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| Average | $76,853 | $6,404 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
Highest paying animator jobs
The highest paying types of animators are interactive designer, visual designer, and 3d artist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designer Internship | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 93,292 |
| Graphic Designer, Marketing | $48,763 | $4,064 | $23.44 | 115,113 |
| Web Graphic Designer | $52,574 | $4,381 | $25.28 | 51,462 |
| Graphic Designer | $49,450 | $4,121 | $23.77 | 45,625 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | $48,619 | $4,052 | $23.37 | 95,831 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
Top companies hiring animators now:
Which companies pay animators the most?
Animator salaries at Meta and Airbnb are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average animator salary at companies like Microsoft and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $152,101 | $73.13 |
| 2 | Airbnb | $146,701 | $70.53 |
| 3 | Microsoft | $142,631 | $68.57 |
| 4 | Amazon | $128,512 | $61.78 |
| 5 | The Walt Disney Company | $122,899 | $59.09 |
| 6 | Vox Media | $118,562 | $57.00 |
| 7 | Datadog | $115,774 | $55.66 |
| 8 | Pixar Animation Studios | $114,404 | $55.00 |
| 9 | Anki | $110,528 | $53.14 |
| 10 | Warner Bros. | $105,030 | $50.50 |
| 11 | Sony Pictures Imageworks | $104,177 | $50.09 |
| 12 | Industrial Light & Magic | $103,842 | $49.92 |
| 13 | Sway Group | $102,717 | $49.38 |
| 14 | Sony Interactive Entertainment America | $102,425 | $49.24 |
| 15 | Blur Studio | $101,570 | $48.83 |
| 16 | DreamWorks Animation | $100,480 | $48.31 |
| 17 | PlayStation | $100,186 | $48.17 |
| 18 | Bento Box Entertainment | $100,169 | $48.16 |
| 19 | Titmouse | $99,620 | $47.89 |
| 20 | Blue Sky Studios | $98,189 | $47.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Animator salary by industry
The average animator salary varies across industries:
- The average animator salary in the media industry is $103,838, the highest of any industry.
- The average animator salary in the finance industry is $90,520.
- Animators in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $79,880, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for animators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $103,838 | $49.92 |
| 2 | Technology | $90,520 | $43.52 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $88,812 | $42.70 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $79,880 | $38.40 |
High paying animator jobs
Animator salary trends
The average animator salary has risen by $16,686 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average animator earned $60,167 annually, but today, they earn $76,853 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for animators over the last decade.
Compare animator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average animator salary over time
Compare animator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Animator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $76,900 | $36.95 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $74,400 | $35.79 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $71,700 | $34.49 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $69,800 | $33.54 | +7.4% |
| 2022 | $64,600 | $31.05 | +2.0% |
Recently added animator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Usa | Animator | Bellevue, WA | 06/27/2025 | $62,500 |
| Vivid Seats | Motion Graphics Animator | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $70,000 |
| T-Mobile USA, Inc. | Animator | Overland Park, KS | 06/24/2025 | $62,500 |
| Skybound Entertainment | Senior Cinematics Animator (Invincible VS) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/24/2025 | $115,000 |
| Khan Academy | SR. 2D Animator, Khan Kids (Contract,) | San Mateo, CA | 06/21/2025 | $125,220 |
| Kabam | Senior 2D Animator | Vancouver, WA | 06/09/2025 | $98,880 |
| Lightspeed La | Senior Cinematic Animator | Irvine, CA | 06/09/2025 | $89,640 |
| Rockstar Games | Animator: Face | Carlsbad, CA | 06/09/2025 | $61,500 |
| Activision Blizzard Shared Services | Senior Animator-Temp (SFD/Cinematics) | Downe, NJ | 05/25/2025 | $81,080 |
| NBC Universal | Dreamworks Feature-Crowds Animator | Glendale, CA | 05/24/2025 | $78,312 |
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