How long does the training take?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do special effects artists and animators make?

The US median is $102,030 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

1,069 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Special effects artists and animators: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Arts, design, media & film · SOC 27-1014

$102,030US median pay, 2025

-0.3%Projected growth, 2025–35

4,200Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work in: special effects artists and animators

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Graphic Design	CIP 50.0409	561
Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design	CIP 11.0801	343
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects	CIP 10.0304	239
Digital Arts	CIP 50.0102	156
Game and Interactive Media Design	CIP 50.0411	142
Painting	CIP 50.0708	48
Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation	CIP 11.0804	36
Intermedia/Multimedia	CIP 50.0706	36
Drawing	CIP 50.0705	27

See the 1,069 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do special effects artists and animators make?: The US median is $102,030 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 1,069 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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