Special Effects Artists and Animators · SOC 27-1014
Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in the Los Angeles Metro Area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Figures describe the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Los Angeles city limits.
Special Effects Artists and Animators in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earned a median of $124,590 per year ($59.90 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $64,740 at the 10th percentile to $206,900 at the 90th. BLS estimates 4,650 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Special Effects Artists and Animators in the Los Angeles metro area earn more than $124,590 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $93,230 and $162,690.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $64,740 | $93,230 | $124,590 | $162,690 | $206,900 |
| Hourly | $31.12 | $44.82 | $59.90 | $78.22 | $99.47 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Los Angeles metro areathis metro area$124,590 median for Los Angeles metro area; middle half earns $93,230 to $162,690
- Californiastate (CA)$130,540 median for California; middle half earns $99,280 to $164,800
- United Statesnational$102,030 median for United States; middle half earns $75,490 to $139,130
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −5% vs California overall and +22% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The Los Angeles metro area has the 4th-highest published median for this occupation among the 41 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
Other metro areas in California
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for special effects artists and animators, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Los Angeles metro areathis page$124,590 median for Los Angeles metro area; middle half earns $93,230 to $162,690
- $156,950 median for San Jose metro area; middle half earns $120,950 to $188,410
- $136,770 median for San Francisco metro area; middle half earns $105,050 to $168,090
- $122,880 median for Sacramento metro area; middle half earns $87,900 to $147,880
- $118,750 median for San Diego metro area; middle half earns $85,210 to $146,170
- $95,420 median for Riverside metro area; middle half earns $78,940 to $130,920
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for special effects artists and animatorss · Highest-paying occupations in Los Angeles Metro
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.