What are the main factors that influence an Animation Designer I's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Animation Designer 's salary?

An Animation Designer 's salary grows with experience: a Animation Designer I (0-2 years)earns $66,617, a 3D Animator II (2-4 years)earns $81,601, a 3D Animator III (4-7 years)earns $98,915, 3D Animator IV (7+ years)earns $135,681, 3D Animator V (7-10 years)earns $164,664,

What are the highest paying cities for an Animation Designer I?

Animation Designer I salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in Virginia for Animation Designer I roles are San Jose $80,080, San Francisco $79,180, Oakland $77,580.

How much do different types of Animation Designer roles make?

Salaries for Animation Designer level roles vary by specialization: Animation Designer V: $156,870; Animation Designer IV: $129,260; Animation Designer III: $94,240; Animation Designer II: $77,740; Designer I - Web: $71,690.

What specialized skills increase an Animation Designer I's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Product Design (up to 12% premium), Commitment (up to 8% premium), Consulting (up to 7% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

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Animation Designer I Salary in Triangle, VA

How much does an Animation Designer I make in Triangle, VA?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Animation Designer I in Triangle, VA is $66,680 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, an Animation Designer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,167
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,980 to $76,880
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,149

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Animation Designer I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$76,880	$6,407	$1,478	$37
Average	$66,680	$5,557	$1,282	$32
25th Percentile	$56,980	$4,748	$1,096	$27

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Key Factors That Influence Animation Designer I Salaries

An Animation Designer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Animation Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Animation Designer I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Animation Designer I (0-2 years): $66,617
3D Animator II (2-4 years): $81,601
3D Animator III (4-7 years): $98,915
3D Animator IV (7+ years): $135,681
3D Animator V (7-10 years): $164,664

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Animation Designer I	0-2 years	$66,617
3D Animator II	2-4 years	$81,601
3D Animator III	4-7 years	$98,915
3D Animator IV	7+ years	$135,681
3D Animator V	7-10 years	$164,664

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Animation Designer Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $80,080
San Francisco: $79,180
Oakland: $77,580

San Jose, CA $80,080

San Francisco, CA $79,180

Oakland, CA $77,580

New York, NY $73,080

Paramus, NJ $72,180

Queens Village, NY $72,180

Passaic, NJ $72,180

Bergenfield, NJ $72,180

Huntington, NY $71,980

Stamford, CT $71,980

Newark, NJ $71,480

Bridgeport, CT $71,380

Vallejo, CA $71,280

New Brunswick, NJ $71,180

Petaluma, CA $71,180

Middlesex, NJ $71,080

Santa Cruz, CA $70,980

Somerset, NJ $70,980

Boston, MA $70,580

Monterey, CA $70,280

Seattle, WA $70,180

Santa Rosa, CA $70,180

Los Angeles, CA $70,180

Juneau, AK $69,980

Washington, DC $69,880

Orange, CA $69,680

Santa Ana, CA $69,480

Long Beach, CA $69,480

Anaheim, CA $69,480

Anchorage, AK $69,380

Santa Maria, CA $69,180

Everett, WA $69,180

Danbury, CT $68,980

Bremerton, WA $68,880

Tacoma, WA $68,680

New Suffolk, NY $68,680

Sacramento, CA $68,680

Santa Barbara, CA $68,580

Brockton, MA $68,480

San Diego, CA $68,480

Trenton, NJ $68,480

Fairbanks, AK $68,280

Lompoc, CA $68,080

Lowell, MA $68,080

Ventura, CA $68,080

Nashua, NH $68,080

Stockton, CA $68,080

Modesto, CA $67,580

Poughkeepsie, NY $67,480

Kennewick, WA $67,280

Olympia, WA $67,280

New Haven, CT $67,280

Lawrence, MA $67,080

Hartford, CT $66,980

Riverside, CA $66,980

Richland, WA $66,880

Bakersfield, CA $66,880

New Bedford, MA $66,880

Portsmouth, NH $66,780

Norwich, CT $66,780

New London, CT $66,780

San Bernardino, CA $66,780

New Britain, CT $66,780

Atlantic City, NJ $66,780

Boulder, CO $66,580

Portland, OR $66,480

Worcester, MA $66,480

Minneapolis, MN $66,280

Philadelphia, PA $66,280

Honolulu, HI $65,980

Saint Paul, MN $65,980

Vineland, NJ $65,980

Providence, RI $65,780

Chicago, IL $65,580

Bellingham, WA $65,580

Baltimore, MD $65,480

Springfield, MA $65,480

Chico, CA $65,280

Pittsfield, MA $65,180

Manchester, NH $64,980

Spokane, WA $64,780

Denver, CO $64,780

Albany, NY $64,480

Troy, NY $64,380

Nassau, NY $64,380

Schenectady, NY $64,280

Wilmington, DE $64,180

Burlington, VT $64,180

Salem, OR $64,080

Portland, ME $63,880

Yakima, WA $63,880

Rochester, MN $63,680

Reno, NV $63,580

Fresno, CA $63,580

Milwaukee, WI $63,580

Detroit, MI $63,480

Ann Arbor, MI $63,480

Allentown, PA $63,480

Carson City, NV $63,380

Colorado Springs, CO $63,380

Syracuse, NY $63,380

Houston, TX $63,280

Eugene, OR $63,180

Gary, IN $63,180

Springfield, OR $63,080

Bismarck, ND $63,080

Galveston, TX $63,080

Medford, OR $62,980

Concord, NH $62,880

Austin, TX $62,880

Fort Collins, CO $62,880

Mesa, AZ $62,780

Reading, PA $62,680

Phoenix, AZ $62,680

Dallas, TX $62,680

Saint Cloud, MN $62,680

Madison, WI $62,580

Utica, NY $62,380

Raleigh, NC $62,280

Rochester, NY $62,280

Des Moines, IA $62,280

Atlanta, GA $62,180

Battle Creek, MI $62,180

Salt Lake City, UT $62,180

Lancaster, PA $62,080

Harrisburg, PA $61,980

Boca Raton, FL $61,880

Columbus, OH $61,880

Fort Worth, TX $61,880

Champaign, IL $61,880

Kansas City, KS $61,880

Kansas City, MO $61,880

Pittsburgh, PA $61,780

Richmond, VA $61,780

Indianapolis, IN $61,780

Cleveland, OH $61,780

Las Vegas, NV $61,680

Cincinnati, OH $61,680

Petersburg, VA $61,580

Huntsville, AL $61,480

Lansing, MI $61,480

Lebanon, PA $61,480

Pueblo, CO $61,480

Appleton, WI $61,480

Saint Louis, MO $61,380

Racine, WI $61,380

Charlotte, NC $61,380

Buffalo, NY $61,380

Dayton, OH $61,380

Lorain, OH $61,280

York, PA $61,280

Elkhart, IN $61,280

Gastonia, NC $61,280

Billings, MT $61,280

Beaumont, TX $61,280

Benton Harbor, MI $61,280

Springfield, IL $61,180

Rockford, IL $61,180

Rock Hill, SC $61,180

Binghamton, NY $61,180

Toledo, OH $61,180

Elyria, OH $61,080

Fargo, ND $61,080

Flagstaff, AZ $61,080

Fort Lauderdale, FL $61,080

Grand Forks, ND $60,980

Cheyenne, WY $60,980

Duluth, MN $60,980

Miami, FL $60,980

Bangor, ME $60,780

Cedar Rapids, IA $60,780

Durham, NC $60,680

Louisville, KY $60,680

Grand Rapids, MI $60,680

Hialeah, FL $60,680

Scranton, PA $60,580

Casper, WY $60,580

Akron, OH $60,480

New Orleans, LA $60,480

Virginia Beach, VA $60,480

Peoria, IL $60,380

Sarasota, FL $60,380

Nashville, TN $60,380

Omaha, NE $60,380

Green Bay, WI $60,380

Davenport, IA $60,280

Baton Rouge, LA $60,280

Charleston, SC $60,280

Jamestown, NY $60,280

Tucson, AZ $60,280

Saint Petersburg, FL $60,180

Tampa, FL $60,180

Evansville, IN $60,180

Port Arthur, TX $60,180

Bradenton, FL $60,080

Santa Fe, NM $59,980

Clearwater, FL $59,880

Orlando, FL $59,880

La Crosse, WI $59,780

Canton, OH $59,780

Albuquerque, NM $59,680

Newport News, VA $59,680

High Point, NC $59,680

Ogden, UT $59,680

Laramie, WY $59,580

Norfolk, VA $59,580

Corpus Christi, TX $59,580

Rock Island, IL $59,480

Saginaw, MI $59,480

Jacksonville, FL $59,480

Salisbury, NC $59,480

Boise, ID $59,480

Moline, IL $59,480

Waterloo, IA $59,380

Tulsa, OK $59,380

Fort Myers, FL $59,380

Memphis, TN $59,380

Spartanburg, SC $59,280

Lincoln, NE $59,280

Fort Wayne, IN $59,280

Provo, UT $59,180

Cedar Falls, IA $59,180

South Bend, IN $59,080

San Antonio, TX $59,080

Greensboro, NC $59,080

Savannah, GA $58,980

Muskegon, MI $58,980

Birmingham, AL $58,980

Winston Salem, NC $58,980

Lexington, KY $58,780

Augusta, GA $58,780

Lake Charles, LA $58,780

Anderson, IN $58,780

Greenville, SC $58,780

Columbia, SC $58,680

Tuscaloosa, AL $58,680

Springfield, OH $58,680

Lima, OH $58,680

Wichita, KS $58,680

Asheville, NC $58,580

Bloomington, IN $58,480

Knoxville, TN $58,280

Shreveport, LA $58,280

Wilmington, NC $58,180

Roanoke, VA $58,180

Topeka, KS $58,080

Frankfort, KY $58,080

Melbourne, FL $57,980

Longview, TX $57,980

Oklahoma City, OK $57,980

Chillicothe, OH $57,980

Sioux Falls, SD $57,880

Mobile, AL $57,880

Terre Haute, IN $57,880

Amarillo, TX $57,780

Altoona, PA $57,780

Killeen, TX $57,780

Chattanooga, TN $57,680

Fayetteville, AR $57,680

Sioux City, IA $57,580

Idaho Falls, ID $57,580

Lynchburg, VA $57,580

Gainesville, FL $57,480

Temple, TX $57,380

Pensacola, FL $57,380

Clarksville, TN $57,380

Daytona Beach, FL $57,380

Lafayette, LA $57,380

Little Rock, AR $57,380

Portsmouth, OH $57,380

Youngstown, OH $57,380

Hopkinsville, KY $57,180

Erie, PA $57,180

Florence, SC $57,080

Charleston, WV $56,980

Great Falls, MT $56,980

Fayetteville, NC $56,880

Waco, TX $56,880

Tallahassee, FL $56,880

Macon, GA $56,880

Helena, MT $56,780

Pine Bluff, AR $56,780

Vincennes, IN $56,680

Lubbock, TX $56,680

Alamogordo, NM $56,680

Twin Falls, ID $56,580

Rapid City, SD $56,580

Greenville, MS $56,480

Jackson, MS $56,480

Huntington, WV $56,480

Parkersburg, WV $56,380

Montgomery, AL $56,380

Biloxi, MS $56,280

Wichita Falls, TX $56,280

Springfield, MO $56,280

Columbus, GA $56,180

Sumter, SC $56,180

Monroe, LA $56,180

Johnstown, PA $56,180

Pascagoula, MS $55,980

Abilene, TX $55,980

Kingsport, TN $55,880

Albany, GA $55,880

Gulfport, MS $55,880

Alexandria, LA $55,580

Fort Smith, AR $55,480

El Paso, TX $55,280

Las Cruces, NM $54,980

Harlingen, TX $54,880

Pocatello, ID $54,880

Florence, AL $54,780

Brownsville, TX $54,780

Mcallen, TX $54,580

Dothan, AL $54,480

Columbus, MS $54,180

Altus, OK $53,880

Lawton, OK $53,680

Pierre, SD $53,480

What Skills Can Increase an Animation Designer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Initiative (Mentioned in 6.13% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
Motion Graphics (Mentioned in 4.25% Job Postings): Motion Graphics is essentially graphic design made video. This style combines sound, text, charts, symbols, and animation, to convey hard data and written information in a compelling and clear way.
Software Design (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Software design is the process by which an agent creates a specification of a software artifact, intended to accomplish goals, using a set of primitive components and subject to constraints. Software design may refer to either "all the activity involved in conceptualizing, framing, implementing, commissioning, and ultimately modifying complex systems" or "the activity following requirements specification and before programming, as ... [in] a stylized software engineering process." Software design usually involves problem solving and planning a software solution. This includes both a low-level component and algorithm design and a high-level, architecture design.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Initiative	6.13%
Motion Graphics	4.25%
Software Design	1.86%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Animation Designer I's salary.

Product Design: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Product Design	$74,682	12%
Commitment	$72,014	8%
Consulting	$71,348	7%
Insight	$70,681	6%
Analysis	$70,681	6%
Motion Graphics	$70,014	5%

Get Latest Data

Animation Designer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Animation Designer I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$56,980

Average $66,680/year

$76,880

$4,748

Average $5,557/month

$6,407

$1,096

Average $1,282/week

$1,478

$27

Average $32/hour

$37

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$76,880	$6,407	$1,478	$37
Average	$66,680	$5,557	$1,282	$32
25th Percentile	$56,980	$4,748	$1,096	$27

Animation Designer I Salary Growth & Career Path

Animation Designer I

3D Animator II

3D Animator III

For an Animation Designer I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the 3D Animator II role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $81,700 - a projected growth of 23% over your current level.

Salaries of jobs related to Animation Designer I

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