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Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary by State

Median annual wage from the latest BLS Occupational Employment Statistics release. Hover any state for the cost-of-living adjusted figure. Click to open the full state breakdown.

Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsBLS OES May 2025
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Special Effects Artists and Animators — median wage by state

  • Washington: $133,480, COL-adjusted $124,748
  • California: $130,540, COL-adjusted $117,922
  • Nevada: $97,350, COL-adjusted $97,350
  • New York: $96,770, COL-adjusted $89,685
  • Colorado: $91,290, COL-adjusted $88,545
  • Arizona: $89,650, COL-adjusted $89,027
  • North Carolina: $88,350, COL-adjusted $93,690
  • Utah: $88,210, COL-adjusted $89,191
  • Michigan: $86,630, COL-adjusted $90,052
  • Florida: $85,870, COL-adjusted $83,046
  • Maryland: $85,830, COL-adjusted $81,743
  • Tennessee: $83,080, COL-adjusted $90,403
  • Virginia: $81,510, COL-adjusted $80,623
  • Georgia: $81,390, COL-adjusted $84,517
  • Illinois: $81,180, COL-adjusted $81,180
  • Massachusetts: $80,640, COL-adjusted $76,219
  • Rhode Island: $80,040, COL-adjusted $78,240
  • Texas: $78,930, COL-adjusted $81,287
  • Indiana: $75,250, COL-adjusted $80,654
  • Pennsylvania: $71,760, COL-adjusted $73,525
  • Ohio: $67,000, COL-adjusted $72,198
  • Oklahoma: $66,980, COL-adjusted $76,287
  • Missouri: $65,470, COL-adjusted $72,104
  • Minnesota: $64,990, COL-adjusted $65,913
  • Wisconsin: $64,890, COL-adjusted $68,959
  • Kansas: $62,720, COL-adjusted $69,612
  • West Virginia: $60,940, COL-adjusted $68,089
  • New Mexico: $54,000, COL-adjusted $58,568
  • Kentucky: $50,970, COL-adjusted $56,508
  • Nebraska: $50,830, COL-adjusted $56,415
  • Iowa: $47,530, COL-adjusted $54,134
  • Alabama: —
  • Alaska: —
  • Arkansas: —
  • Connecticut: —
  • Delaware: —
  • District of Columbia: —
  • Hawaii: —
  • Idaho: —
  • Louisiana: —
  • Maine: —
  • Mississippi: —
  • Montana: —
  • New Hampshire: —
  • New Jersey: —
  • North Dakota: —
  • Oregon: —
  • South Carolina: —
  • South Dakota: —
  • Vermont: —
  • Wyoming: —

All states

51 of 51 results · sorted by value: high to low

Highest- and lowest-paying states for special effects artists and animators

Ranked by median annual wage from the BLS 2025 release. The full sortable list is above; these are the extremes.

Highest-paying
  1. 1. Washington$133,480
  2. 2. California$130,540
  3. 3. Nevada$97,350
  4. 4. New York$96,770
  5. 5. Colorado$91,290
Lowest-paying
  1. Iowa$47,530
  2. Nebraska$50,830
  3. Kentucky$50,970
  4. New Mexico$54,000
  5. West Virginia$60,940

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in the United States?
The US median wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators is $100,965 per year (BLS, 2025). Half earn more and half earn less.
Which state pays Special Effects Artists and Animators the most?
Washington pays Special Effects Artists and Animators the most, with a median of $133,480, followed by California ($130,540). The lowest median is in Iowa at $47,530.
How much do Special Effects Artists and Animators salaries vary by state?
Special Effects Artists and Animators median pay ranges from $47,530 to $133,480 across the 50 states and DC — a spread largely explained by cost of living and local demand. The table below ranks every state.
Are Special Effects Artists and Animators jobs growing?
BLS projects a +1.6% change in Special Effects Artists and Animators employment from 2024 to 2034 — slower than average.