Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary
The median pay for a special effects artists and animators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $82,570/year ($39.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.07), that's roughly $84,195 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,852/month, about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K get you in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos’s Regional Price Parity (98.07). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About special effects artists and animators
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What this looks like in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Pay for special effects artists and animators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $102K. Rent runs $1,852/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.07) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special effects artists and animators in metros near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $79K | $77K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $78K | $79K |
| Albuquerque | $54K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Entry-level special effects artists and animators (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Special Effects Artists and Animators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $133K | +31% | 1,130 |
| California | $131K | +28% | 7,410 |
| Nevada | $97K | -5% | 370 |
| New York | $97K | -5% | 1,540 |
| Colorado | $91K | -11% | 210 |
| Arizona | $90K | -12% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $88K | -13% | 370 |
| Utah | $88K | -14% | 320 |
| Michigan | $87K | -15% | 230 |
| Florida | $86K | -16% | 1,530 |
| Maryland | $86K | -16% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $83K | -19% | 90 |
| Virginia | $82K | -20% | 380 |
| Georgia | $81K | -20% | 350 |
| Illinois | $81K | -20% | 630 |
| Massachusetts | $81K | -21% | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $80K | -22% | N/A |
| Texas | $79K | -23% | N/A |
| Indiana | $75K | -26% | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -30% | 300 |
| Ohio | $67K | -34% | 200 |
| Oklahoma | $67K | -34% | N/A |
| Missouri | $65K | -36% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $65K | -36% | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $65K | -36% | 210 |
| Kansas | $63K | -39% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $61K | -40% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $54K | -47% | 80 |
| Kentucky | $51K | -50% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $51K | -50% | 90 |
| Iowa | $48K | -53% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 31 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track special effects artists and animators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a special effects artists and animator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,852/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for special effects artists and animators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special effects artists and animators typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,715/month. At HUD’s $1,852/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special effects artists and animator a high-paying job in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $83K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos compare to the national average for special effects artists and animators?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do special effects artists and animators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
The median is $82,570 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,910, and experienced special effects artists and animators can clear $150,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,540/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,852/month, which eats 33.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a special effects artists and animators salary go in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a Regional Price Parity of 98.07 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median special effects artists and animators salary is worth about $84,195 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special effects artists and animators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.