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The differences between special effects specialists and animators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a special effects specialist and an animator. Additionally, an animator has an average salary of $76,853, which is higher than the $61,198 average annual salary of a special effects specialist.
The top three skills for a special effects specialist include data entry, product knowledge and quality customer service. The most important skills for an animator are animation, motion capture, and storyboards.
| Special Effects Specialist | Animator | |
| Yearly salary | $61,198 | $76,853 |
| Hourly rate | $29.42 | $36.95 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 32,111 | 551 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Special effects specialists and animators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Effects Specialist | Animator | |
| Average salary | $61,198 | $76,853 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $100,000 | Between $52,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Dover, DE | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Media |
There are a few differences between a special effects specialist and an animator in terms of educational background:
| Special Effects Specialist | Animator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Business | Animation |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special effects specialists' and animators' demographics:
| Special Effects Specialist | Animator | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 Percentage | 11% | 11% |