Arts, Design, Media & Sports
Special Effects Artists and Animators
Also called: 3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator), 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist), Animator, Artist
US median pay
$102,030
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-0.3%
declining
Openings a year (US)
4,200
51,900 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
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 they do day to day
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Systems Analysis2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Persuasion2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Systems Evaluation2.8/5
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics5.0/5
- English Language4.4/5
- Design4.2/5
- Communications and Media4.1/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Sales and Marketing3.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree53%
- Some college40%
Who this job suits
Mostly Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.