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Job outlook for motion graphics artists in the United States
Are motion graphics artist jobs in demand?
Motion graphics artist job and salary trends over time
Motion graphics artist jobs over time
Motion graphics artist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,953 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,236 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,445 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,416 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,477 | 0.00% |
Average motion graphics artist salary over time
Motion graphics artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $67,079 | $32.25 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $64,981 | $31.24 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $62,607 | $30.10 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $60,889 | $29.27 | +8.0% |
| 2022 | $56,374 | $27.10 | +2.1% |
Motion graphics artist jobs by state
Most common states for motion graphics artists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 46 | 7% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 48 | 4% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 201 | 3% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 175 | 3% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 114 | 3% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 27 | 3% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 16 | 3% |
| 8 | California | 39,536,653 | 940 | 2% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 449 | 2% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 189 | 2% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 155 | 2% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 123 | 2% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 119 | 2% |
| 14 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 111 | 2% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 97 | 2% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 82 | 2% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 74 | 2% |
| 18 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 61 | 2% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 16 | 2% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 10 | 2% |
Most common cities for motion graphics artists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burbank | 1 | 1% | $81,890 |
| 2 | New York | 1 | 0% | $94,752 |
| 3 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $93,901 |
Motion Graphics Artist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of motion graphics artist experts
Florida Gulf Coast University
Rider University
Louisiana College
University of Indianapolis
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Mississippi College
Stonehill College
California State University - Stanislaus
Kansas City Art Institute
University of California, Santa Barbara
Southern Methodist University
Wayne State University
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Michalis Andronikou PhD: Be open-minded and creative. You may need to combine a few different skills to find your own professional path.
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Michalis Andronikou PhD: It’s difficult to predict what skills will become more important in the field in the next 3-5 years, but creative people and people with a will to improve their skills will find a way to prevail and lead.
Steve Hughart II
Laboratory Coordinator I/ Adjunct ProfessorFlorida Gulf Coast University
Fine And Studio Arts
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Steve Hughart II: The most important skills that I would suggest would be to learn and understand the Adobe Creative Cloud Applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator for example. These platforms will benefit you immensely in the art field in a ton of different ways. All artists will use these applications in one form or another. That being said, I would also encourage everyone to do as much work as possible with your hands. Learn to use power tools, pick up a piece of paper and pencil instead of the iPad, use a real camera instead of your phone. With AI growing so fast digital media work will all be AI generated, so focusing on improving your editing skills and creating with your hands will be where the jobs are.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Professor Kate Jordahl: It is an excellent time to begin in the visual and performing arts because we have such a need for creativity and our approaches to the problems of the world, the challenges of our society, and the ever-changing fabric of business. Whether you work directly in making things and performing or you are a supervisor who organizes other people's creative tasks, this is a very rewarding area with a balance of using all of your skills to create and make projects successful
What Motion Graphics Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Fracé: More and more, the actor, director, or designer who is also a creator has a better chance of succeeding in the field. This means creating new work in any medium — original live performance, writing and shooting your own movie (low-budget or no-budget is absolutely legit), or creating online content, for example. This also means creating opportunities for yourself instead of waiting for them to arrive — “put yourself out there” is a cliché, but more necessary than ever. To have the best chances for success with your original work, you will also need to be a producer and marketer. The next most important skill is interdisciplinary collaboration. Learn how you work with other people and practice to get better at it. Hone your listening skills, and develop interest in other disciplines and how they intersect with yours. Practice bravery and flexibility in how you approach new projects and collaborative partnerships.
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Fracé: I recommend that before you graduate, you think about where you want to live and make a plan to move there. Consider factors such where are the artists doing the kind of work you are interested in doing, whom do you already know there, and are there opportunities to earn a living as you break into the field. Meet as many people as you can in your chosen place — whomever you want to work with, get to know their work better and reach out to them. Meanwhile, keep active by continuing to train yourself, because in theater or film/TV, it’s very common for there to be gaps between projects as you are starting out. Keep your cost of living low, and try not to wear yourself out at your day job. Do something every day that reminds you that you are an artist, whether it’s rehearsing your monologues, working on a scene with a friend, taking classes, writing, composing or playing music, whatever helps you feel creative.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Hartmut Austen: Go abroad for a while and travel. Build or become part of a community. Foster relationships with people that have an interest in your wellbeing and success. Maintain relationships with other artists and people in other professional fields. Attend professional development opportunities and consider continuing education towards an M.F.A. program.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Ananda Keator: 3D printing accessories, digital renderings, and (hopefully) revival of almost lost arts.
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Ananda Keator: Be multifaceted, don't try to specialize just yet. And see #1
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Todd Dellinger: Know thyself. This response has many facets and implications - know your 'deep why' or vision of yourself as an artist and professional and frame around the impact you wish to have on others - this becomes a sort of 'lodestar' for the work ahead of crafting a career. Know who you are internally, as well as externally - as a 'package' because you are entering an industry where you - and the work you produce - are the commodity, for good or bad. As such, define and adhere to your boundaries - so that you cannot be taken advantage of, and can stay true to your vision. Know yourself in the context of the business - and know the business aspects of what you do. You are, at the end of the day, a business - too many artists ignore that. Then, stick to your knowledge of and vision for yourself as an artist and professional.
What Motion Graphics Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Todd Dellinger: Have a diverse and relevant toolkit of skills and expertise - creative and artistic ones, yes - but perhaps even more importantly, skills and expertise which translate into multiple, diverse corners of arts & entertainment and into other sectors. Know how to translate your artistic wizardry from the stage to a phone, from the studio to a streaming platform, from one arts discipline or style or genre to multiple others. But also, know how to write up a marketing piece, a grant narrative, plan an event, manage a budget. You might find day-work in the very place where you're sharing your talent at night.
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Todd Dellinger: Adaptability to change - it's inescapable and has been forever in the arts - but change comes so swiftly and from so many directions now - particularly those changes brought about by technology and media/communications. Be ahead of the curve when it comes to what new uses of AI, what new applications for social media and how to manipulate those to your advantage, to your 'business' of being an artist in this world. Entrepreneurial skills are vital in any business. You will need to be your own entrepreneur - exercising creative, innovative ways of using your talents and skills 'outside the box' and applying these in parts of the industry and in other settings to expand your earning and learning potential.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Kathryn Baczeski: Recently, in the craft world of; ceramics, wood working, metalsmith/ jewelry, textiles, printmaking and photography - digital fabrication has been utilized as a step in the creative process more everyday. 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers and artificial intelligence are being implemented as tools to help make patterns and designs, used to make instruments to implement in the creative process and assist in the physical fabrication of objects and larger works of art.
Although the current access to these innovations is expediting the making process across multiple art mediums and fields, this popularity of technologies seems to be shortcutting the basic skill sets that are often foundational to many artistic processes. Therefore, a deep understanding and practice of traditional skills across mediums will be the most important to build upon in conjunction with these budding technological breakthroughs.
What Motion Graphics Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kathryn Baczeski: For visual art students leaving school and starting their careers, there is an emphasis in teaching professional development on setting up a studio or finding a space where you are able to continue your creative practice in any capacity. In some instances, this would be a work exchange at a community studio, an internship or apprenticeship at a production studio assisting in the making of work for another well established artist /design line or a job at an institution that supports creative practice such as a school or museum. Typically residencies and internships allow their staff to continue their creative practice and research so that purchasing a bunch of equipment is not an immediate expense or obstacle for someone fresh out of an undergraduate program. I have seen students who have graduated struggle making this step in aligning themselves with a job that supports them financially while also furthering their creative explorations. These opportunities are real life applications for continuing education and learning new skills which can not be replicated in the classroom. In taking a position such as those listed above, newly graduated students learn how to communicate with the public, carve out a schedule that can accommodate both their professional and personal practices along with all of the technical aspects that go into maintaining and running a studio, school or museum.
What will help Motion Graphics Artists increase their earning potential?
Kathryn Baczeski: The best way to maximize your salary potential is to learn as many skills as you can, specifically in your medium and any medium adjacent to yours. This will allow you to be able to work multiple positions in any career. For example, if you are a ceramic artist, learning how to work by handbuilding, wheel-throwing, and mold making/slip casting will enhance your chances of being able to work in a variety of capacities in a job as opposed to just one style of creating work. In addition to making art, the processes for finalizing those works can assist you in the technician end of working in any studio. Back to the example of someone working as a ceramic artist, learning how to fire work in electric, gas, atmospheric and wood kilns is a lot more versatile than just being able to finalize work in one method. On the backend of being able to know how to work all of those different machines, learning how to repair them is also a valuable skill so knowing the machines you work with, allows you to specialize in different areas of your field. Continuing this style of education by taking workshops and classes in similar mediums (for ceramics that could be glass or metal working courses) will allow you to understand similar processes in different studio applications, reinforcing those skills. Finally, learning how to teach first time learners what you know about an art practice of medium is also a way to maximize a salary potential in finding part-time opportunities, one on one lessons and teaching to those who might be interested and starting to learn about an artistic process. This opens the door to many ways of making income and diversifying your ability to earn money from multiple sources and employers.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
gerard brown: Folks starting out in the crafts and the fine arts often think the most important thing is the images of their work they put out in the world - through social media, on grant applications, etc. But you also need to be able to write and speak about your work in ways that inspire and motivate ordinary people to share your interests. Too often, people come out of school speaking the language of school and writing for an academic reader - I wish everyone would read more good journalism about art in magazines and news papers (yes, they are online!) and learn to communicate about their work in an accessible, approachable way earlier in their careers.
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Todd Dellinger: Have a diverse and relevant toolkit of skills and expertise - creative and artistic ones, yes - but perhaps even more importantly, skills and expertise which translate into multiple, diverse corners of arts & entertainment and into other sectors. Know how to translate your artistic wizardry from the stage to a phone, from the studio to a streaming platform, from one arts discipline or style or genre to multiple others. But also, know how write up a marketing piece, a grant narrative, plan an event, manage a budget. You might find day-work in the very place where you're sharing your talent at night.
What Motion Graphics Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Todd Dellinger: Adaptability to change - it's inescapable and has been forever in the arts - but change comes so swiftly and from so many directions now - particularly those changes brought about by technology and media/communications. Be ahead of the curve when it comes to what new uses of AI, what new applications for social media and how to manipulate those to your advantage, to your "business" of being an artist in this world. Entrepreneurial skills are vital in any business. You will need to be your own entrepreneur - exercising creative, innovative ways of using your talents and skills "outside the box" and applying these in parts of the industry and in other settings to expand your earning and learning potentia
Nathaniel Foley
Assistant Professor of Art & DesignUniversity of Indianapolis
Fine And Studio Arts
What general advice would you give to a Motion Graphics Artist?
Nathaniel Foley: Creatives must possess the confidence to sell and speak about themselves and their multifaceted and transferable skill sets. As creative problem-solvers, artists place themselves in a unique position to be able to engage all facets of the job market to positively contribute to today's society. Never place yourself in a mindset of only being able to function as a starving artist as you have gone through extensive training to think, take risks, communicate, and make differently than other disciplines, which sets you apart and provides you a unique opportunity to craft your own path. Do not be afraid to take risks by pursuing jobs that might not completely fit your perceived path because they will open doors and opportunities in the future.
What Motion Graphics Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathaniel Foley: As we continue to grapple with technology and its impact on society, artists will continue to find ways to use it creatively, so there will be an increase in rapid prototyping, AI, and other digital areas. Additionally, fine art-based traditions will continue to evolve and remain important as a foundation to support all technological explorations and research. The artist's toolbox will always be expanding and supported by their training and ability to think, make, take risks and communicate.
What skills stand out on Motion Graphics Artist resumes?
Paige Williams: The skills that stand out on artist resumes are skills that distinguish them from other applicants. Potential employers are looking for individuals whose resumes provide evidence of exploration, risk-taking, and the ability to adapt. These traits are evidenced through experiences with internships, study abroad, and other real-world experiences such as client-based projects, exhibitions, performances, and readings in public spaces. Art school is experiential. Students aren't just observing but doing while they are in school. The ability to learn and adapt to new technology is also important. Art students don't just learn but utilize technological skills with purpose in their own creative work.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Motion Graphics Artists?
Paige Williams: Students entering the creative workplace need the visual, verbal, and written vocabulary to articulate their ideas and provide meaningful and constructive criticism. Students at the AAC learn criticism methods and engage in writing across the curriculum in every studio and academic course. A rigorous capstone experience requires that students write a ten-to-twelve-page thesis that thoroughly explains what they make (subject), how they make it (form), and why it matters (content). They then are required to present their ideas in a public forum.
Learning the latest technological advances and adapting as technology evolves is important for every student entering the workforce.
What skills will help Motion Graphics Artists earn the most?
Paige Williams: A combination of the 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication will provide the most effective skill base for those seeking success in creative fields.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Motion Graphics Artists?
Benjamin Ivey: The enduring impact the pandemic will have on recent graduates will be a reliance on teleconferencing and online visual communication. Before coronavirus, we were accustomed to meeting "in person" for classes, interviews, and conferences. We only needed to be online for email, social media, and the occasional video. Now, it's the new norm for all classes and group meetings to have an online component. Employers are expecting to see portfolios and resumes online. Meeting in-person for your first job interview will be outmoded in favor of meeting via FaceTime or Zoom. Since many recent graduates are savvy with this technology, I don't foresee the trend changing anytime soon. People have quickly and readily embraced it.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Motion Graphics Artists?
Elizabeth McPherson: Yes, I think the coronavirus pandemic will have a profound impact on the dance field. Many small dance companies may find it impossible to keep paying dancers and staff. Some bigger dance companies have disbanded their second or junior companies. Virtual or outdoor performances are all that is possible right now for the most part. There is. However, some fantastic work being done in terms of dance film and online performance events. I think as the pandemic subsides eventually, that we will have live performances again, but also more virtual events. Dancers and choreographers are honing their skills with technology.
In terms of dance education, innovation is again the name of the game. One recent grad from Montclair State has just been hired to teach a 4- to 5-year-old dance class outside in someone's backyard. Many dance teachers are teaching over Zoom, and also creating videos of dance classes that people can do at their leisure, not in real time. I think this will also stay with us even after we return to teaching more classes in person. It allows for more global connection, in that I could take a dance class that is happening in Japan, for instance, through Zoom.
What type of skills will young Motion Graphics Artists need?
Matthew Greene: Theatre graduates, in order to work, must be disciplined self-starters first and artists second. They need to get out there (in person or virtually) and be persistent. This fact hasn't changed in the past 100 years, but the means in which to engage, find and create work is transforming in front of our eyes. It is now essential to have an online presence and the ability and resources to produce "self-tapes", the new standard for auditioning. While many aspects of theatre will return as we have known them, I imagine a lot of the job-seeking efforts, primarily auditioning, will continue virtually. This alone makes more opportunities available to more people, and levels the playing field a good deal.
What experience really stands out on Motion Graphics Artist resumes?
Matthew Greene: Young theatre artists need to focus on building their post-college credits, and not be overly concerned with unions, agents, etc. I've run an auditioning class for the better part of the past decade, and questions regarding unions and agents are the ones I field the most. Instead, they should pound the pavement and find any and all work they can find to network and bolster their resumes. To see that they are actively pursuing their chosen profession is something I look for when casting a show. This can be demonstrated by credits or by continued training. Show employers that you are serious, motivated and a team-player, and you will receive much more attention. Also, be sure to include names on your resume. In a field such as theatre, WHO you've worked with or studied under can mean the difference between a callback or not.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Motion Graphics Artists?
Matthew Greene: Theatre has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Theatres worldwide have been dark since March, and best-case-scenarios doesn't have them opening until next fall. Recent graduates enter a field that is on hold. Current students are having to perform scene work on Zoom or masked at a distance. It's all quite antithetical to the immediacy and connection that is at the heart of how we typically train students. That is not to say we have thrown our hands in the air, but instead have taken the challenge to produce productions in unconventional ways. Ultimately, this will benefit recent and future graduates by forcing them to engage audiences in new and creative ways.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Motion Graphics Artists?
John Ferry: I believe so - how can we have something this significant happen and not have it affect our lives in a noticeable way. I actually think there are advantages to having this happen . . . If you look for the positives you'll find them . . . if you look for the negatives you'll find them . . . I can't speculate on what that impact will be - but, we'll all be impacted, Professors and Students. At the very least we are all a lot more familiar with how to navigate virtual meetings.
What experience really stands out on Motion Graphics Artist resumes?
John Ferry: I think for a student that internships really stand out. Showing you've worked for an agency or freelance artist and received payment for this experience. It shows you can work with other people and demonstrate some professional experience. At Kansas City Art Institute, where I teach in the Illustration Department, we require all students to take either an internship or mentorship.
I also think showing published work is important. One internship that used to be available in the past was at The Kansas City Star Newspaper. The students were able to do weekly illustrations featured in their publication. It gave them an excellent opportunity to work with art directors, illustrate a concept and work on their portfolio.
Risa Brainin
Professor, Artistic Director, LAUNCH PADUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Department of Theater and Dance
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Motion Graphics Artists?
Risa Brainin: Once we get through the pandemic and the worlds of theater, film and television open up again, graduates will be able to step right into the industry. Until then, we are all in a challenging situation. The good news is that artists have been wildly creative during 2020-21, exploring alternative ways to make theater. Our students have jumped on that bandwagon and learned new skills in order to adapt to performing on other platforms like Zoom. So while they may not have learned certain skills that are required to act, direct, design, or write for live, in person, on stage performance, students are mastering the art and skills needed for online performance.
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.
Assistant Professor - Arts Management and Arts EntrepreneurshipSouthern Methodist University
Meadows School of the Arts
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Motion Graphics Artist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.: The creative industries are a broad category and includes for-profit and non-profit organizations. These categories have experienced different effects of the pandemic.
Museums and theaters had to shut down as a result of the pandemic. There were furloughs and layoffs. Some have connected with their audience through online delivery of performances but the experience and pricing structure have been different. All are watching their financial positions carefully.
Given my research on population dynamics of nonprofit arts organizations, we should be particularly concerned about small and new organizations. And these venues are often where recent graduates as well as emerging artists and performers get their first opportunities. So, this will definitely present some additional challenges to job seekers.
In the for-profit industry it's something of a tale of two cities.
Movie theaters and commercial music venues are suffering from the same issues as the non-profits. AMC may file for bankruptcy (Bloomberg).
Simultaneously, many Americans have really relied on entertainment from streaming platforms to adjust to a pandemic lifestyle. Disney+ made headlines in April when they announced more than 50 million paid subscribers (Barrons). But the simultaneous release of movies in theaters and streaming creates a scenario unthought of when contracts with the talent were written that will require significant adaptation (Nytimes).
Individually and organizationally, we have had to adapt to current conditions in order to remain healthy. I think one of the positive lessons is that organizations have been forced to revisit practices and procedures and innovate. Those working in creative and entertainment fields are trained to innovate and think creatively. In 2004, Daniel Pink argued that the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is the new MBA in the New York Times. Speaking to an audience at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in December 2018, Pink observed:
I think the data and analytics skills have become much more important than they were 13 years ago, but you still have to have those artistic skills," Pink said, adding that the artistic trait of composition was critical all manner of business endeavors. (DardenVirginia)
Maria Bologna
Wayne State University
What skills stand out on Motion Graphics Artist resumes?
Maria Bologna: Highly sought after skills that employers are looking for related to interactivity (motion graphics, animation, video editing)