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Animation artist salary
Average animation artist salary
$80,929
Average Animation Artist Salary
The average salary for an animation artist in the United States is $80,929 per year, or about $39 per hour, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in this creative field. Various factors influence salary levels, including geographic location, experience, and the specific industry of employment.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
Animation artists can find higher salaries in states like California, New York, and Washington, where the entertainment industry is particularly strong. Additionally, working in specialized sectors such as video game design or feature film production often results in better compensation.
Salary Trends Over Time
Salary trends indicate that animation artists are seeing gradual increases in earnings as the industry evolves. With advancements in technology and growing demand for animated content across platforms, the potential for salary growth remains strong.
Job Opportunities
For those interested in pursuing a career as an animation artist, job opportunities are abundant in various sectors, including film, television, gaming, and advertising. Building a solid portfolio and networking within the industry can significantly enhance job prospects.
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Where can an Animation Artist earn more?
Animation artist salary estimates from across the web
Average animation artist salary by state
The highest-paying states for animation artists are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average animation artist salary states are Nebraska, Missouri, and Ohio.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for animation artists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $110,247 | $53.00 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $107,351 | $51.61 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $109,603 | $52.69 |
| 4 | California | $104,493 | $50.24 |
| 5 | Washington | $100,189 | $48.17 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $104,749 | $50.36 |
| 7 | Idaho | $84,064 | $40.42 |
| 8 | Oregon | $78,952 | $37.96 |
| 9 | Maryland | $91,108 | $43.80 |
| 10 | New York | $80,136 | $38.53 |
| 11 | Delaware | $106,878 | $51.38 |
| 12 | Nevada | $127,398 | $61.25 |
| 13 | Michigan | $73,351 | $35.26 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $78,524 | $37.75 |
| 15 | Maine | $76,081 | $36.58 |
| 16 | Iowa | $69,086 | $33.21 |
| 17 | Virginia | $74,387 | $35.76 |
| 18 | Indiana | $68,001 | $32.69 |
| 19 | Illinois | $76,534 | $36.80 |
| 20 | Utah | $65,980 | $31.72 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $70,585 | $33.94 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $68,869 | $33.11 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $63,837 | $30.69 |
| 24 | Arizona | $69,594 | $33.46 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $61,742 | $29.68 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $63,721 | $30.64 |
| 27 | Colorado | $69,135 | $33.24 |
| 28 | Kansas | $68,352 | $32.86 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $63,612 | $30.58 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $53,601 | $25.77 |
| 31 | Vermont | $64,527 | $31.02 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $65,336 | $31.41 |
| 33 | Texas | $60,333 | $29.01 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $61,090 | $29.37 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $68,096 | $32.74 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $60,044 | $28.87 |
| 37 | Georgia | $50,670 | $24.36 |
| 38 | Florida | $57,251 | $27.52 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $55,075 | $26.48 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $53,402 | $25.67 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $51,384 | $24.70 |
| 42 | Alaska | $58,026 | $27.90 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $46,699 | $22.45 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $49,958 | $24.02 |
| 45 | Alabama | $49,869 | $23.98 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $44,543 | $21.41 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $41,317 | $19.86 |
| 48 | Ohio | $44,905 | $21.59 |
| 49 | Missouri | $46,223 | $22.22 |
| 50 | Montana | $47,884 | $23.02 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $40,703 | $19.57 |
Highest paying cities for animation artists
The highest-paying cities for animation artists are Las Vegas, NV, San Francisco, CA, and Greenwich, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $127,726 | $61.41 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $114,696 | $55.14 |
| 3 | Greenwich, CT | $109,646 | $52.71 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $101,108 | $48.61 |
| 5 | Columbia, MD | $91,110 | $43.80 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $80,304 | $38.61 |
| 7 | Farmington Hills, MI | $73,515 | $35.34 |
| 8 | Durham, NC | $62,951 | $30.26 |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX | $60,939 | $29.30 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $60,558 | $29.11 |
| 11 | Sunrise, FL | $57,511 | $27.65 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,424 | $24.72 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $50,341 | $24.20 |
Animation artist salary details
An animation artist's salary ranges from $52,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $125,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an animation artist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| 75th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| Average | $80,929 | $6,744 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 10th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
Highest paying animation artist jobs
The highest paying types of animation artists are interactive designer, visual designer, and animator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designer Internship | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 93,292 |
| Web Graphic Designer | $52,574 | $4,381 | $25.28 | 51,462 |
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
| Graphic Designer | $49,450 | $4,121 | $23.77 | 45,625 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
Top companies hiring animation artists now:
Which companies pay animation artists the most?
Animation artist salaries at Microsoft and The Walt Disney Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average animation artist salary at companies like Pixar Animation Studios and Blur Studio are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $145,212 | $69.81 |
| 2 | The Walt Disney Company | $129,553 | $62.29 |
| 3 | Pixar Animation Studios | $112,239 | $53.96 |
| 4 | Blur Studio | $98,677 | $47.44 |
| 5 | PlayStation | $98,394 | $47.30 |
| 6 | DreamWorks Animation | $97,647 | $46.95 |
| 7 | Blue Sky Studios | $94,197 | $45.29 |
| 8 | Electronic Arts | $92,115 | $44.29 |
| 9 | Insomniac Games | $92,003 | $44.23 |
| 10 | Riot Games | $91,379 | $43.93 |
| 11 | Technicolor | $91,118 | $43.81 |
| 12 | Zynga | $89,936 | $43.24 |
| 13 | Lionheart | $89,425 | $42.99 |
| 14 | Activision Blizzard | $89,209 | $42.89 |
| 15 | WhiteMoon Dreams | $88,157 | $42.38 |
| 16 | Valve | $85,487 | $41.10 |
| 17 | Puny Human | $85,466 | $41.09 |
| 18 | Brilliant | $81,690 | $39.27 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Animation artist salary trends
The average animation artist salary has risen by $17,571 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average animation artist earned $63,358 annually, but today, they earn $80,929 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for animation artists over the last decade.
Compare animation artist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average animation artist salary over time
Compare animation artist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Animation artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $80,900 | $38.91 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $78,400 | $37.69 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $75,500 | $36.31 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $73,500 | $35.32 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | $68,000 | $32.70 | +2.0% |
Recently added animation artist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Third Floor Inc. | FX Artist [Animation Department] | Los Angeles, CA | 06/03/2025 | $62,610 |
| Oliverusa | CGI/Animation Artist | Grand Rapids, MI | 03/26/2025 | $55,250 |
| Gamecompanies | Animation Artist II-Teamfight Tactics | Los Angeles, CA | 02/19/2025 | $104,000 |
| Iamag Master Class | Animation Artist-Teamfight Tactics | Los Angeles, CA | 02/17/2025 | $104,000 |
| Designory | Temp To Perm Unreal Artist, Animation Blueprint Specialist | Long Beach, CA | 11/29/2024 | $156,525 |
| TCL North America | AI Comfyui Artist/Animator | Ione, CA | 09/29/2024 | $62,610 |
| Activision | 2D Artist/Animator-Treyarch | Vista, CA | 04/27/2024 | $62,213 |
| System One | 3D + Animation Artist | Phoenix, AZ | 04/04/2024 | $90,000 |
| System One | 3D + Animation Artist | Dover, DE | 04/04/2024 | $90,000 |
| System One | 3D + Animation Artist | Boston, MA | 04/04/2024 | $90,000 |
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