Special Effects Artists and Animators

More data on this career

Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most special effects artists and animators are Motion Picture and Video Industries (33% of the jobs counted, median pay $100,990), Software Publishers (22% of the jobs counted, median pay $127,670), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (11% of the jobs counted, median pay $103,390), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (6% of the jobs counted, median pay $86,290) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Software Publishers ($127,670), Computer Systems Design and Related Services ($103,390), Motion Picture and Video Industries ($100,990). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.

Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Art and design workers", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 19.8 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 9 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.

Union membership. In the broad group "Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media", which includes this career, 6.6% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $2,032 for union members and $1,387 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to special effects artists and animators.

Wages employers offered H-1B workers. For special effects artists and animators, employers filed 300 certified Labor Condition Applications for H-1B workers covering 313 worker positions in FY2025, with a median lower-bound wage offered of $120,000 (the middle half ran from $86,500 to $154,100) (U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification). These are wages named in employers' applications to hire temporary foreign workers, usually in jobs that need at least a bachelor's degree. They are not what every worker in the occupation earns. The Department of Labor has not endorsed this presentation.

Employer benefits. In the broad group "Professional and related", which includes this career, 86% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 85% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 92% had paid sick leave, 73% paid vacation and 78% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to special effects artists and animators, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $74.42 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Professional and related" in June 2026 ($50.37 in wages and salaries and $24.06 in benefits, 32.3% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).

Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for special effects artists and animators are: e-mail (100%), freedom to make decisions (99%), indoors, environmentally controlled (87%), spend time sitting (87%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (87%), importance of being exact or accurate (85%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (54% of 18 respondents) was "over 1 year, up to and including 2 years". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to special effects artists and animators in the work done and the skills used: Graphic Designers, Film and Video Editors, Art Directors, Video Game Designers, Producers and Directors, Desktop Publishers, Web and Digital Interface Designers, Photographers (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Compare special effects artists and animators with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →