Special Effects Artists and Animators
SOC Code: 27-1014 Job Zone 4: Considerable Preparation Needed
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.
Advertisement
Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Special Effects Artists and Animators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,243 | $137,904 | $167,544 | $197,205 |
| Merced, CA | $104,894 | $135,138 | $165,360 | $195,603 |
| Fresno, CA | $104,000 | $134,347 | $164,674 | $195,021 |
| Salinas, CA | $100,630 | $131,019 | $161,429 | $191,818 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,760 | $115,523 | $146,286 | $177,050 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $84,739 | $115,482 | $146,224 | $176,966 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $84,406 | $115,128 | $145,850 | $176,571 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $84,406 | $115,128 | $145,829 | $176,550 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $83,970 | $114,650 | $145,350 | $176,030 |
| Yakima, WA | $82,410 | $111,738 | $141,086 | $170,414 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Corporation | 91 | $166,031 |
| BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. | 60 | $121,785 |
| ACTIVISION PUBLISHING INC | 57 | $112,673 |
| Apple Inc. | 50 | $172,168 |
| BYTEDANCE INC. | 39 | $192,672 |
| Electronic Arts Inc. | 20 | $122,458 |
| SNAP INC. | 17 | $125,111 |
| Riot Games, Inc. | 17 | $135,897 |
| TIKTOK INC. | 17 | $163,067 |
| Electronic Arts, Inc. | 16 | $114,361 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 78 | $109,418 |
| 2021 | 107 | $105,750 |
| 2022 | 70 | $113,400 |
| 2023 | 197 | $110,934 |
| 2024 | 332 | $749,324 |
| 2025 | 311 | $129,193 |
| 2026 | 33 | $131,285 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.2 | |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | |
| Writing | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Computers and Electronics | 5.0 |
| English Language | 4.4 |
| Design | 4.2 |
| Communications and Media | 4.1 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.9 |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.9 |
| Telecommunications | 3.5 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.2 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 52.8% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 39.7% |
| High school diploma | 5.4% |
| Associate's degree | 1.7% |
Typical Tasks
- 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.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
AJAX Adobe Acrobat Adobe After Effects Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Apple macOS Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D C C++ Cascading style sheets CSS Extensible markup language XML Figma Hypertext markup language HTML
Calculate your wage level for Special Effects Artists and Animators →
Advertisement
Looking for an H-1B immigration attorney?
Find experienced immigration lawyers in our attorney directory.