Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary
The median pay for a special effects artists and animators in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX is $77,690/year ($37.35/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $78,769 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Pay for special effects artists and animators in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $102K. Rent runs $1,573/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.63) 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $83K | $84K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $79K | $77K |
| 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, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level special effects artists and animators (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $72K 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a special effects artists and animator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for special effects artists and animators in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special effects artists and animators typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,233/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $78K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for special effects artists and animators?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — below the national median.
How much do special effects artists and animators make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $77,690 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,890, and experienced special effects artists and animators can clear $126,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,253/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 29.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a special effects artists and animators salary go in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 $78,769 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.