Special Effects Artists and Animators
Special Effects Artists and Animators earn an average annual salary of $132,383, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Special Effects Artists and Animators workforce.
Employment Over Time
7,690 Workforce in 2023
The Special Effects Artists and Animators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$132,383 Average Wage
In 2023, Special Effects Artists and Animators earned an average of $132,383.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Salary distribution for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
27,284 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -8.9%
24,865 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -16.9%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Special Effects Artists and Animators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Special Effects Artists and Animators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Wage Trends by Industry
10.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 7,280 employees, $133,151 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 4,310 employees, $131,957 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 1,180 employees, $136,891 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 470 employees, $120,798 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 400 employees, $172,412 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 380 employees, $131,560 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 190 employees, $109,497 avg wage
- San Rafael MD: 190 employees, $133,466 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 60 employees, $112,353 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 40 employees, $92,692 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 30 employees, $104,505 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Special Effects Artists and Animators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Special Effects Artists and Animators in 2023 was 7,690 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Special Effects Artists and Animators in 2023 were Engineering, Visual Arts, Fine Arts.
Common majors for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Special Effects Artists and Animators workers.
Education level distribution for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Skills
Special Effects Artists and Animators need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Learning.
Required skills for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Special Effects Artists and Animators include Computers and Electronics, English Language, Design, Communications and Media, Customer and Personal Service.
Knowledge areas required for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Special Effects Artists and Animators include Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Visualization, Oral Expression, Near Vision.
Required abilities for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Special Effects Artists and Animators.
Daily Activities
Special Effects Artists and Animators spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Thinking Creatively, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.
Most important work activities for Special Effects Artists and Animators.
About
Special Effects Artists and Animators
The average yearly wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators was $132,383 in 2023.
SOC Code
27-1014 - Special Effects Artists and Animators
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Special Effects Artists and Animators reports an average salary of $132,383, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 7,690 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.