Special Effects Artists and Animators in New York
Thinking about a career as a Special Effects Artists and Animators in New York? Here’s what you need to know. Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.
What do Special Effects Artists and Animators Make in New York?
For special effects artists and animators working in New York, the median annual wage is $102,170 per year (or roughly $49.12/hour).Pay can range from $59,520 at the 10th percentile to $167,760 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $59,520 | $28.62 |
| 25th percentile | $74,570 | $35.85 |
| Median (50th) | $102,170 | $49.12 |
| 75th percentile | $137,060 | $65.89 |
| 90th percentile | $167,760 | $80.65 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in New York compared to the national average — is 1.38, suggesting that special effects artists and animators are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, special effects artists and animators earn a median of $57,836 per year ($27.81/hour), above the New York median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 38,587 special effects artists and animators nationwide. In New York alone, about 1,820 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 240 special effects artists and animators.
Top New York Metros for Special Effects Artists and Animators
The metro areas below employ the most special effects artists and animators in New York.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,750 | $103,940 |
| Rochester, NY | 30 | n/a |
Top States for Special Effects Artists and Animators Employment
The table below shows the states where the most special effects artists and animators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 7,690 |
| Washington | 2,510 |
| New York | 1,820 |
| Florida | 1,430 |
| Georgia | 860 |
| Oregon | 470 |
| Nevada | 420 |
| Maryland | 370 |
| Michigan | 330 |
| Ohio | 290 |
| Massachusetts | 270 |
| Virginia | 260 |
| North Carolina | 250 |
| Colorado | 240 |
| Connecticut | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | 200 |
| Utah | 190 |
| Wisconsin | 160 |
| New Jersey | 160 |
| Nebraska | 120 |
Highest-Paying States for Special Effects Artists and Animators
The highest-paying states for special effects artists and animators.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $128,360 |
| New Jersey | $124,300 |
| Oregon | $108,630 |
| New York | $102,170 |
| Colorado | $95,130 |
| Texas | $88,620 |
| Nevada | $86,290 |
| Ohio | $83,530 |
| Kansas | $83,210 |
| Maryland | $81,700 |
Skills
Key special effects artists and animators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for special effects artists and animators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
- Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
- Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
- Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
- Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
- Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.
- Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
- Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
- Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows.
- Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.
- Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning.
- Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Thinking Creatively
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Design & Applied Arts
- General Visual & Performing Arts
- Fine & Studio Arts
- Computer Software Applications
- Graphic Communications
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to special effects artists and animators include:
- Computer Programmers
- Web Developers
- Web and Digital Interface Designers
- Video Game Designers
- Art Directors
- Craft Artists
Also Known As
3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator), 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist), 3D Designer (Three-dimensional Designer), 3D Modeler (Three-Dimensional Modeler), 3D Specialist (Three-Dimensional Specialist), Animation Artist, Animation Producer, Animator, Anime Artist, Anime Designer, Artist, Cartoon Animator, Cartoon Artist, Civil 3D Designer (Civil Three-Dimensional Designer), Computer Artist.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 27-1014.00
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