Money · 1 of 5
What animators make
Median
$102,030
Bottom tenth
$58,600
Top tenth
$177,110
The federal survey counts animators together with special effects artists, and the median is $102,030 a year. The bottom tenth earn $58,600 or less and the top tenth $177,110 or more, in 2025 figures. Pay also varies by state and city: O*NET OnLine (the Department of Labor's occupation database) has a local wage tool that shows the figures for your area.