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Character animator salary
Average character animator salary
$72,126
Character Animator Salary Overview
The salary of a character animator varies based on several factors, including location, experience, and industry. On average, character animators earn $72,126 annually, equating to approximately $35 per hour. This figure is influenced by the growing demand for skilled animators in entertainment and multimedia sectors.
Salary by State
States like California and New York offer the highest salaries, reflecting their robust entertainment industries. Additionally, the average salary can differ significantly across various states, highlighting the importance of location in salary negotiations.
Experience Matters
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Entry-level animators may start at lower salaries, but as they gain skills and industry knowledge, their earning potential increases. Consideration of various roles, such as lead animator or animation supervisor, can also lead to significantly higher compensation.
Job Opportunities
The demand for character animators is on the rise, with opportunities available in gaming, film, and advertising. Keeping abreast of industry trends can provide valuable insights into career advancement and salary negotiations.
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Where can a Character Animator earn more?
Character animator salary estimates from across the web
Average character animator salary by state
The highest-paying states for character animators are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average character animator salary states are Ohio, Montana, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for character animators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $114,084 | $54.85 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $113,270 | $54.46 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $113,391 | $54.51 |
| 4 | New York | $92,226 | $44.34 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $108,970 | $52.39 |
| 6 | California | $92,614 | $44.53 |
| 7 | Maryland | $94,526 | $45.45 |
| 8 | Delaware | $110,842 | $53.29 |
| 9 | Idaho | $80,716 | $38.81 |
| 10 | Nevada | $119,754 | $57.57 |
| 11 | Maine | $81,591 | $39.23 |
| 12 | Washington | $78,858 | $37.91 |
| 13 | Michigan | $77,912 | $37.46 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $77,428 | $37.23 |
| 15 | Iowa | $75,274 | $36.19 |
| 16 | Oregon | $75,885 | $36.48 |
| 17 | Illinois | $81,054 | $38.97 |
| 18 | Virginia | $76,714 | $36.88 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $74,746 | $35.94 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $75,999 | $36.54 |
| 21 | Kansas | $73,687 | $35.43 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $64,861 | $31.18 |
| 23 | Vermont | $69,290 | $33.31 |
| 24 | Utah | $63,063 | $30.32 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $68,430 | $32.90 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $66,212 | $31.83 |
| 27 | Indiana | $72,848 | $35.02 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $69,586 | $33.45 |
| 29 | Colorado | $69,807 | $33.56 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $74,052 | $35.60 |
| 31 | Texas | $61,987 | $29.80 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $70,622 | $33.95 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $53,782 | $25.86 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $68,102 | $32.74 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $62,208 | $29.91 |
| 36 | Alaska | $65,919 | $31.69 |
| 37 | Arizona | $65,543 | $31.51 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $56,187 | $27.01 |
| 39 | Florida | $57,804 | $27.79 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $56,501 | $27.16 |
| 41 | Georgia | $51,066 | $24.55 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $50,857 | $24.45 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $38,331 | $18.43 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $43,711 | $21.01 |
| 45 | Missouri | $50,791 | $24.42 |
| 46 | Ohio | $47,617 | $22.89 |
| 47 | Alabama | $49,725 | $23.91 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $48,649 | $23.39 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $42,078 | $20.23 |
| 50 | Montana | $46,652 | $22.43 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $41,268 | $19.84 |
Highest paying cities for character animators
The highest-paying cities for character animators are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Vancouver, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $101,934 | $49.01 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $92,347 | $44.40 |
| 3 | Vancouver, WA | $80,659 | $38.78 |
| 4 | Reston, VA | $78,619 | $37.80 |
| 5 | Charlotte, NC | $75,254 | $36.18 |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $66,282 | $31.87 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $62,075 | $29.84 |
Character animator salary details
A character animator's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $111,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a character animator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $111,000 | $9,250 | $53 |
| 75th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| Average | $72,126 | $6,011 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
Highest paying character animator jobs
The highest paying types of character animators are interactive designer, visual designer, and animator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Designer | $63,842 | $5,320 | $30.69 | 50,899 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | $48,619 | $4,052 | $23.37 | 95,831 |
| Freelance Designer | $57,260 | $4,772 | $27.53 | 45,914 |
| Graphic Designer, Marketing | $48,763 | $4,064 | $23.44 | 115,113 |
| Motion Graphics Designer | $62,558 | $5,213 | $30.08 | 44,960 |
Top companies hiring character animators now:
Which companies pay character animators the most?
Character animator salaries at The Walt Disney Company and Sucker Punch Productions are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average character animator salary at companies like PlayStation and Sony Pictures Imageworks are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walt Disney Company | $109,585 | $52.69 |
| 2 | Sucker Punch Productions | $98,434 | $47.32 |
| 3 | PlayStation | $97,304 | $46.78 |
| 4 | Sony Pictures Imageworks | $96,931 | $46.60 |
| 5 | Rockstar Games | $96,542 | $46.41 |
| 6 | Harmonix Music Systems | $96,510 | $46.40 |
| 7 | Electronic Arts | $94,827 | $45.59 |
| 8 | ZeniMax Media | $94,260 | $45.32 |
| 9 | Scanline VFX | $80,234 | $38.57 |
| 10 | Leidos | $67,704 | $32.55 |
| 11 | Worlds of Fun | $58,874 | $28.30 |
| 12 | Cedar Fair | $32,638 | $15.69 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Character animator salary trends
The average character animator salary has risen by $15,659 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average character animator earned $56,467 annually, but today, they earn $72,126 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for character animators over the last decade.
Compare character animator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average character animator salary over time
Compare character animator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Character animator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $72,100 | $34.68 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $69,900 | $33.59 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $67,300 | $32.36 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $65,500 | $31.48 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | $60,600 | $29.14 | +2.0% |
Recently added character animator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGBO | Senior Character/Animation Specialist | Raleigh, NC | 04/09/2025 | $125,000 |
| Hubstaff Blog | 3D Character Animator | Houston, TX | 02/18/2025 | $60,523 |
| Universal Studios Hollywood | Auditions-Animated Characters) | Los Angeles, CA | 01/26/2025 | $48,001 |
| Universal Orlando | Auditions-Animated Characters) | Los Angeles, CA | 01/23/2025 | $48,001 |
| Gatorland Inc. | Skunk APE Character | Orlando, FL | 12/11/2024 | $29,218 |
| Gatorland Inc. | Skunk APE Character | Orlando, FL | 10/24/2024 | $29,218 |
| Duolingo Duolingo, Inc. | Senior Character Animator | Kane, PA | 10/19/2024 | $106,250 |
| Cedar Fair LP | Scarowinds Character Talent | Charlotte, NC | 09/26/2024 | $27,131 |
| Carowinds | Scarowinds Character Talent | Gastonia, NC | 09/17/2024 | $27,131 |
| Cedar Fair LP | Scarowinds Character Talent | Charlotte, NC | 09/11/2024 | $27,131 |
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