Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
What is an animator and how to become one
Calling all of you creative folk! Animators create images that appear to move through use of visual effects. So if you've ever watched a cartoon, you know what an animator's job is.
While some find their creative spaces in an office, other animators find that their home is the most creative space. So they work from there. In order to find work as an animator, you're going to want to brush up on your portfolio of work. It has to really impress the interviewing team.
Avg. Salary $76,853
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 5%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%
Asian 7.51%
Black or African American 4.29%
Hispanic or Latino 13.93%
Unknown 5.80%
White 67.69%
Genderfemale 28.11%
male 71.89%
Age - 39American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 39Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Animator career paths
Key steps to become an animator
Explore animator education requirements
Start to develop specific animator skills
Skills 
Percentages Animation 35.75% Motion Capture 7.19% Storyboards 5.44% Motion Graphics 4.76% AAA 3.38% Complete relevant animator training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New animators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an animator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real animator resumes.Research animator duties and responsibilities
- Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
- Train & supervise newly appoint employee in achieving realistic looking effects and help integrating the effects in compositing with cg elements.
- Create many logos for a YouTube sketch.
- Sketch every seen multiple times utilizing several camera angles and character blocking.
Prepare your animator resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your animator resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an animator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Animator Resume templates
Build a professional Animator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Animator resume.
Apply for animator jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an animator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Animator Job
Juan Leon
Animator
When I was studying Graphic Design I realized that I was fascinated with visual narratives, but after my bachelor degree I did a Postgraduate Degree in Multimedia and finally I went to one of the first 3D animation schools in Mexico City, Eunoia School.
I continued with my studies in film art and semiotics. In parallel I became a mountaineer and cave diver. This personal journey nourished my interest in history, myths and nature and the importance to preserve these three elements using art as a means of social criticism, denouncement indicating a desire to make a statement and provoke thought through my creative work.
In 2016 I met a German girl and fell in love, so that’s what brought me to Europe. So I did a Master's degree in 3D Animation at Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain). BTW, my generation was the last one from that program.
I couldn’t find a job related to my studies until the end of 2020. I did a small collaboration with Medabots, a Startup from Kevin Comadran. But my team was laid off soon after the project started.
Finally I was accepted into The Focus Academy, where I did two programs, one for 3D Animation and one for 3D Environment Artist. Finally I got a job offer as an Animator in MPC Montreal, I worked in “The Wheel of Time: Origins".
Once inside MPC I realized that I wanted to do something else apart from animation, so I moved to the CFX or creature department. And as a CFX artist I worked in “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”, “Atlas”, “Spaceman” and “Mufasa: The Lion King”. My demo reel just includes Transformers because the other movies have recently launched on Netflix and "Mufasa: The Lion King" will be released next December.
I am currently unemployed because of last year's strikes, looking for a job in the Film industry or video games industry.
Average animator salary
The average Animator salary in the United States is $76,853 per year or $37 per hour. Animator salaries range between $52,000 and $112,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do animators rate their job?
Animator reviews
Making stories. And proposing camera shots that enhances the story and character.
Plots that go nowhere.
Animator FAQs
Search for animator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
