Entry-level Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in California
Roles that require limited judgement and close supervision. Typically less than two years of relevant experience or fresh graduates entering the field.
Entry-level Special Effects Artists and Animators in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 43 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $91,000. 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.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 43 | $91,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Entry-level Special Effects Artists and Animators in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACTIVISION PUBLISHING INC | ARTIST I | 9 | $97,843 |
| Electronic Arts Inc. | Associate Concept Artist | 4 | $86,601 |
| PIXAR | ANIMATOR I | 2 | $94,453 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Product Design | 2 | $142,310 |
| XITE LLC | MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER | 2 | $81,120 |
| BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. | ASSOCIATE CHARACTER ARTIST | 2 | $87,329 |
| Heavy Industry | Designer / Animator | 1 | $94,500 |
| Sena Advertising Inc. | Associate Art Specialist | 1 | $76,378 |
| Halon Entertainment LLC | Finals Animator | 1 | $75,962 |
| Tideform Studio, LLC | Multimedia Artist/Founder | 1 | $94,453 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Designer / Animator at Heavy Industry$94,500IrvineWage Level IDecided Sep 12, 2025I-200-25248-291105
- Associate Art Specialist at Sena Advertising Inc.$76,378San DiegoWage Level IDecided Aug 22, 2025I-200-25228-246789
- Finals Animator at Halon Entertainment LLC$75,962Santa AnaWage Level IDecided Aug 18, 2025I-200-25223-233328
- ANIMATOR I at PIXAR$94,453EMERYVILLEWage Level IDecided Jun 30, 2025I-200-25174-121617
- ANIMATOR I at PIXAR$94,453EMERYVILLEWage Level IDecided Jun 18, 2025I-200-25162-082675
- Multimedia Artist/Founder at Tideform Studio, LLC$94,453San FranciscoWage Level IDecided Jun 17, 2025I-200-25161-073665
- Media Specialist at Music Land School$95,000San LeandroWage Level IDecided Jun 11, 2025I-200-25155-052629
- Game Concept Artist at Nekcom Inc$94,453San MateoWage Level IDecided Jun 10, 2025I-200-25155-049210
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.