Market:US

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in United States

The median special effects artists and animators salary is $102,030 a year, from official US BLS OEWS (national, SOC 2018) data · updated May 2025.

Lower (p10)
$58,600
Median (p50)
$102,030
Top (p90)
$177,110
Sample size
19,970

Pay distribution · p10 to p90

Lower (p10)$58,600
p25$75,490
Median$102,030
p75$139,130
Top (p90)$177,110
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Special Effects Artists and Animators salary by region

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$156,950
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$136,770
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$134,120
Washington$133,480
California$130,540
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$124,590
Nevada$97,350
New York$96,770
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$96,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$92,760

Pay trend

Up 3.0% from 2023 to 2025.

$109,6302023
$110,1102024
$112,8702025

Source: US BLS OEWS (national, SOC 2018) · updated May 2025 · methodology

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary FAQs

What is the average Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in United States?

The median Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in United States is $102,030 per year, based on US BLS OEWS (national, SOC 2018) (updated May 2025). Half of special effects artists and animatorss earn more than this and half earn less.

How much does a Special Effects Artists and Animators earn per year in the US?

Pay typically ranges from about $58,600 for lower earners (10th percentile) to $177,110 for top earners (90th percentile), with a median of $102,030.

Do Special Effects Artists and Animators salaries vary by region in the US?

Yes. Pay varies across United States - San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is among the highest at $156,950, with other areas sitting lower. See the regional breakdown above for the full picture.

Where does this Special Effects Artists and Animators salary data come from?

These figures come from official statistics - US BLS OEWS (national, SOC 2018), last updated May 2025. Rung only shows verified data and never invented or crowd-sourced numbers.

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