Special Effects Artists and Animators

Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications · Visual Arts

Job zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 27-1014.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure is published for this career)

$56k10th$79kMedian$150k90th

New workers start near $56,020; experienced workers reach $150,000

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

Employment change: +2%; nationwide
Openings a year: 5,000; nationwide, from growth and people leaving
Employed in 2024: 57,100; nationwide

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Alamo Colleges programs that lead here

4 programs, with the college that teaches each.

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Active Listening3.9
Reading Comprehension4.0
Critical Thinking3.8
Speaking3.5
Active Learning3.4
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Writing3.0
Monitoring3.3

What the work 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.

Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
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.
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.

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

High school or less6%
Some college40%
Associate degree2%
Bachelor's degree53%

Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.

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