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Rigger vs animator

The differences between riggers and animators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an animator has an average salary of $76,853, which is higher than the $41,723 average annual salary of a rigger.

The top three skills for a rigger include cranes, hand tools and hoisting. The most important skills for an animator are animation, motion capture, and storyboards.

Rigger vs animator overview

RiggerAnimator
Yearly salary$41,723$76,853
Hourly rate$20.06$36.95
Growth rate-5%
Number of jobs426551
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4040
Years of experience-2

What does a rigger do?

A rigger is a worker whose task is to set up, maintain or repair rigging in construction projects in industrial or manufacturing plants. Riggers install machinery and make sure that it is in place. They use pulleys, ropes, or any other tool to be able to move heavy objects. Some of their duties include the attachment of loads of equipment to structures or cranes through cables, clamps, chains, and shackles. They also perform quick calculations, which are important for engineering principles and loads.

What does an animator do?

The animators are specialized artists who conceptualized ideas from their creative minds with technology applications. Animators cater to different specialties depending on their expertise. They used multiple techniques and tools to create a digital masterpiece. An animator is required to have an excellent time and project management skills to meet deadlines. They should also be detail-oriented and technology savvy to keep up with the latest trend in the digital market. Animators are required to have regular communication with the respective department for the updates or adjustments as needed.

Rigger vs animator salary

Riggers and animators have different pay scales, as shown below.

RiggerAnimator
Average salary$41,723$76,853
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $60,000Between $52,000 And $112,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CALas Vegas, NV
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNevada
Best paying companyNaughty DogMeta
Best paying industry-Media

Differences between rigger and animator education

There are a few differences between a rigger and an animator in terms of educational background:

RiggerAnimator
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorBusinessAnimation
Most common college-University of Pennsylvania

Rigger vs animator demographics

Here are the differences between riggers' and animators' demographics:

RiggerAnimator
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 95.7% Female, 4.3%Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.4% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between rigger and animator duties and responsibilities

Rigger example responsibilities.

  • Man air tuggers during lifts where cranes aren't capable of reaching.
  • Acquire CDL license with HAZMAT endorsement and receive extensive training in crane operation and proper handling/disposal of hazardous materials.
  • Execute the attachment of pulleys and blocks to fix overhead structures such as beams, and bulkheads using bolts and clamps.
  • Acquire CDL and hazmat license.
  • Align, level, and anchor machinery, dismantle.
  • Crane ops and tuggers used to install spool pieces.
  • Show more

Animator example responsibilities.

  • Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
  • Train & supervise newly appoint employee in achieving realistic looking effects and help integrating the effects in compositing with cg elements.
  • Create many logos for a YouTube sketch.
  • Sketch every seen multiple times utilizing several camera angles and character blocking.
  • Assist in the animation development of learning videos and nursery rhymes for YouTube.
  • Implement uniform display geometry to support texture artist and UV mapping artist, demonstrating advance UV mapping skills.
  • Show more

Rigger vs animator skills

Common rigger skills
  • Cranes, 14%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Hoisting, 9%
  • Pulleys, 9%
  • Ladders, 7%
  • Slings, 7%
Common animator skills
  • Animation, 36%
  • Motion Capture, 7%
  • Storyboards, 5%
  • Motion Graphics, 5%
  • AAA, 3%
  • Graphic Design, 3%

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