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The differences between character animators and multimedia specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a character animator and a multimedia specialist. Additionally, a character animator has an average salary of $72,126, which is higher than the $52,299 average annual salary of a multimedia specialist.
The top three skills for a character animator include animation, maya and character animation. The most important skills for a multimedia specialist are video production, graphic design, and photography.
| Character Animator | Multimedia Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $72,126 | $52,299 |
| Hourly rate | $34.68 | $25.14 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 416 | 21,798 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A character animator specializes in developing life-like character designs for film, television, advertisements, and video games using special animation software. Their job usually entails understanding project requirements, conducting research, developing drafts and models, adding different effects to enhance designs, presenting designs to lead animators, and performing revisions when necessary. They are also responsible for adhering to deadlines and budgets, producing reports, and solving issues and concerns. Moreover, a character animator usually works in a team setting, which requires an open and transparent line of communication for a successful workflow.
A multimedia specialist is in charge of developing multimedia and visual materials according to project and program needs. They typically work together with a company's creative team where they are responsible for performing research and analysis, understanding the purpose of projects, conceptualizing plans, identifying market trends, preparing samples for client approval, and developing strategies to optimize operations. Furthermore, as a multimedia specialist, it is essential to adhere to project timelines and budgets, including the company's policies and regulations.
Character animators and multimedia specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Character Animator | Multimedia Specialist | |
| Average salary | $72,126 | $52,299 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $111,000 | Between $38,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newport, RI |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Gap Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a character animator and a multimedia specialist in terms of educational background:
| Character Animator | Multimedia Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Animation | Communication |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between character animators' and multimedia specialists' demographics:
| Character Animator | Multimedia Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.7% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |