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Industry Profile · California

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in Manufacturing, California

Discrete and process manufacturing across consumer, industrial, and pharmaceutical goods.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated May 5, 2026
Real disclosed salaries

Special Effects Artists and Animators (Manufacturing) in California: actual employer-disclosed pay

Public records from 35 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $176,717. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.

By DOL wage level

DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level I — entry1$104,000
Level II — qualified1$133,120
Level III — experienced5$135,400
Level IV — fully competent28$176,717

Top employers filing for this role

Companies with the most certified filings for Special Effects Artists and Animators (Manufacturing) in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
Apple Inc.Human Interface Designer30$176,717
Tesla, Inc.Lead 3D Visualization Specialist1$133,120
TetraMem Inc3D Graphic and VFX Designer1$104,000
CALLIOPE EXPERINCES LLCProduction1$161,907
Zoox, Inc.Technical Artist1$152,000
VITRUVIUS EXPERIENCES LLCAR/VR Software Development1$197,400

Recent sample filings

A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.

  • Human Interface Designer at Apple Inc.
    $197,205
    CupertinoWage Level IVDecided Sep 25, 2025I-200-25261-317306
  • Lead 3D Visualization Specialist at Tesla, Inc.
    $133,120
    HawthorneWage Level IIDecided Jun 10, 2025I-203-25154-044255
  • 3D Graphic and VFX Designer at TetraMem Inc
    $104,000
    San JoseWage Level IDecided May 23, 2025I-200-25136-986506
  • Production at CALLIOPE EXPERINCES LLC
    $161,907
    IrvineWage Level IVDecided Apr 4, 2025I-200-25087-810159
  • Human Interface Designer at Apple Inc.
    $166,600
    Culver CityWage Level IVDecided Mar 31, 2025I-200-25083-797042
  • Human Interface Designer at Apple Inc.
    $176,717
    CupertinoWage Level IVDecided Mar 28, 2025I-200-25082-796484
  • Technical Artist at Zoox, Inc.
    $152,000
    Foster CityWage Level IVDecided Mar 18, 2025I-200-25070-765967
  • Digital Sculpting at Apple Inc.
    $195,500
    SunnyvaleWage Level IVDecided Mar 17, 2025I-200-25069-760945

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.