Multimedia Artists and Animators

Multimedia artists and animators earned average annual salaries of $65,134 in 2024, according to PayScale.com. Salaries ranged from $47,000 to $92,000 or more.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual salary for special effects artists and animators (a category that includes multimedia artists and animators) was $99,060 in May 2023. The lowest paid 10 percent of this group earned $57,090 or less, while the highest paid 10 percent earned $169,580 or more during the same time period.

Artists and animators working for small companies and start-ups may have few, if any, benefits, such as health insurance and retirement plans. Freelance workers must buy their own health insurance and provide for their retirement themselves. Also, they are not paid during any time off they take for vacations or illnesses. Artists and animators who work for large companies, however, typically receive benefits that include retirement plans, health insurance, and paid vacation and sick days.