Are animators underpaid?
Sarah Garza
Updated on March 18, 2026
In America, becoming an animator is a pretty decent job. According to Payscale, the median salary for an animator is around $50,000. New animators are even more likely to be underpaid, with the average inbetweener (the person that makes the key frames flow together) making around $10,000 a year, less than $900 a month.
How hard is it to get a job with an animation degree?
Pick another career – Working in the field of animation is very hard. Everyone wants to be a character animator, rather than do all of the other nitty gritty work necessary to make an animation. Bare in mind 90% of character animators do it for 10 years. So studios only hire for 10% of their character animation team.
What degree do you need to work in animation?
Employers typically require a bachelor’s degree, and they look for workers who have a good portfolio of work and strong technical skills. Animators and special effects artists typically have a bachelor’s degree in fine art, computer graphics, animation, or a related field.
Does degree matter in animation?
No, degree is not important in Animation and VFx. It’s only the work that matters. At the end, when you are to be recruited, it’s only your demo reel that would matter the most and the interview which you give.
Is animation a stable career?
Is animation a stable career? Employment of multimedia artists and animators is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026. This is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Projected growth will be due to increased demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, and television.
How many hours do animators work?
Work environment Staff animators work a regular 40-hour workweek but may occasionally be expected to work evenings and weekends to meet deadlines. Freelance animators have erratic schedules, and the number of hours they work may depend on how much money they want to earn or how much work they can find.
What can I do with a degree in animation?
Students pursuing their animation education through a degree program can earn on-the-job experience through an internship as part of their graduation requirement. Graduates and animators without a formal education will generally have to work in assistant positions for a while before advancing to full-fledged animation positions.
What’s the best way to become a stop motion animator?
Stop Motion Animator Career Path: More often than not, stop motion animators are self-taught and break into the industry gradually having honed their skills through freelance work. Pros: The job satisfaction when you see the finished animation – usually after weeks if not months of painstaking work – is truly off the scale
What makes an animator not want to be an animator?
These issues are the most obvious. Lurking in the back of your head are all the little bits you know you can’t animate to save your life. The stuff that makes you act just like Don Music: Doesn’t matter what you’re terrible at – write it down. All struggling points. Take note of what you need to work on and do short animations only on that.
What kind of technology does an animator use?
Animators use animation software and computers to create 2-D and 3-D animation for websites, film, video, gaming, and mobile media. Drawing and sculpting skills still play a role in today’s animation, but cutting-edge technology has combined with art to expand the field.