How much does a Senior 3d Animator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior 3d Animator in the United States is $77,680 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.
However, a Senior 3d Animator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $132,801
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,119 to $106,532
Key Factors That Influence Senior 3d Animator Salaries
A Senior 3d Animator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Senior 3d Animator Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Senior 3d Animators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $86,007.
California: $85,680.
Massachusetts: $84,539.
District of Columbia$86,007
California$85,680
Massachusetts$84,539
Washington$84,228
New Jersey$84,197
Alaska$84,088
Connecticut$83,016
New York$82,581
Hawaii$81,191
Rhode Island$80,538
Maryland$80,095
Minnesota$79,489
Colorado$79,256
Illinois$79,179
Oregon$78,884
Delaware$78,666
New Hampshire$78,529
Virginia$78,223
Pennsylvania$77,330
Nevada$76,879
North Dakota$76,732
Michigan$76,499
Wisconsin$76,413
Vermont$76,242
Texas$75,769
Maine$75,738
Arizona$75,691
Ohio$75,637
Georgia$74,922
Indiana$74,565
Wyoming$74,495
Utah$74,386
Iowa$74,339
Kansas$73,966
Louisiana$73,858
North Carolina$73,819
Missouri$73,803
Florida$73,500
Montana$73,337
Nebraska$73,182
Kentucky$73,096
South Carolina$72,786
Tennessee$72,591
Idaho$72,514
New Mexico$71,947
Oklahoma$71,822
Alabama$71,364
South Dakota$70,595
Arkansas$70,176
West Virginia$69,950
Mississippi$69,275
Top Paying Cities for Senior 3d Animators
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: $97,977
San Francisco: $96,904
Oakland: $94,862
San Jose, CA$97,977
San Francisco, CA$96,904
Oakland, CA$94,862
New York, NY$89,439
Paramus, NJ$88,352
Queens Village, NY$88,348
Passaic, NJ$88,274
Bergenfield, NJ$88,267
Stamford, CT$88,096
Huntington, NY$88,064
Newark, NJ$87,490
Bridgeport, CT$87,327
Vallejo, CA$87,172
New Brunswick, NJ$87,141
Petaluma, CA$87,094
Middlesex, NJ$86,947
Somerset, NJ$86,892
Santa Cruz, CA$86,791
Boston, MA$86,317
Monterey, CA$86,045
Seattle, WA$85,867
Santa Rosa, CA$85,851
Los Angeles, CA$85,828
Juneau, AK$85,626
Washington, DC$85,541
Orange, CA$85,264
Santa Ana, CA$85,059
Long Beach, CA$84,981
Anaheim, CA$84,966
Anchorage, AK$84,927
Santa Maria, CA$84,694
Everett, WA$84,678
Danbury, CT$84,405
Bremerton, WA$84,298
Tacoma, WA$84,018
New Suffolk, NY$84,017
Sacramento, CA$83,995
Santa Barbara, CA$83,909
Trenton, NJ$83,824
San Diego, CA$83,824
Brockton, MA$83,739
Fairbanks, AK$83,548
Lompoc, CA$83,350
Lowell, MA$83,287
Ventura, CA$83,272
Nashua, NH$83,257
Stockton, CA$83,249
Modesto, CA$82,682
Poughkeepsie, NY$82,511
Olympia, WA$82,364
Kennewick, WA$82,364
New Haven, CT$82,333
Lawrence, MA$82,053
Hartford, CT$81,975
Riverside, CA$81,960
New Bedford, MA$81,882
Richland, WA$81,882
Bakersfield, CA$81,773
San Bernardino, CA$81,742
New Britain, CT$81,734
Atlantic City, NJ$81,734
New London, CT$81,703
Norwich, CT$81,680
Portsmouth, NH$81,664
Boulder, CO$81,500
Portland, OR$81,393
Worcester, MA$81,385
Minneapolis, MN$81,144
Philadelphia, PA$81,035
Honolulu, HI$80,779
Saint Paul, MN$80,742
Vineland, NJ$80,725
Providence, RI$80,499
Chicago, IL$80,274
Bellingham, WA$80,181
Springfield, MA$80,119
Baltimore, MD$80,095
Chico, CA$79,901
Pittsfield, MA$79,691
Manchester, NH$79,544
Spokane, WA$79,202
Denver, CO$79,194
Albany, NY$78,829
Troy, NY$78,798
Nassau, NY$78,715
Schenectady, NY$78,635
Wilmington, DE$78,573
Burlington, VT$78,464
Salem, OR$78,433
Portland, ME$78,192
Yakima, WA$78,115
Rochester, MN$77,874
Reno, NV$77,835
Fresno, CA$77,835
Milwaukee, WI$77,765
Detroit, MI$77,687
Ann Arbor, MI$77,674
Allentown, PA$77,664
Colorado Springs, CO$77,532
Syracuse, NY$77,493
Carson City, NV$77,493
Houston, TX$77,384
Eugene, OR$77,345
Gary, IN$77,252
Springfield, OR$77,190
Bismarck, ND$77,175
Galveston, TX$77,120
Medford, OR$77,004
Fort Collins, CO$76,973
Concord, NH$76,934
Austin, TX$76,910
Mesa, AZ$76,747
Reading, PA$76,740
Phoenix, AZ$76,732
Dallas, TX$76,709
Saint Cloud, MN$76,634
Madison, WI$76,530
Utica, NY$76,320
Rochester, NY$76,196
Des Moines, IA$76,188
Raleigh, NC$76,180
Atlanta, GA$76,064
Battle Creek, MI$76,040
Salt Lake City, UT$76,017
Lancaster, PA$75,901
Harrisburg, PA$75,792
Kansas City, MO$75,714
Champaign, IL$75,699
Kansas City, KS$75,699
Fort Worth, TX$75,691
Columbus, OH$75,678
Boca Raton, FL$75,660
Pittsburgh, PA$75,629
Richmond, VA$75,598
Indianapolis, IN$75,582
Cleveland, OH$75,574
Las Vegas, NV$75,481
Cincinnati, OH$75,481
Petersburg, VA$75,365
Huntsville, AL$75,248
Lansing, MI$75,196
Lebanon, PA$75,186
Pueblo, CO$75,178
Appleton, WI$75,155
Buffalo, NY$75,124
Dayton, OH$75,101
Racine, WI$75,085
Charlotte, NC$75,077
Saint Louis, MO$75,054
York, PA$75,007
Elkhart, IN$75,007
Gastonia, NC$74,993
Billings, MT$74,974
Beaumont, TX$74,953
Lorain, OH$74,937
Benton Harbor, MI$74,922
Toledo, OH$74,906
Binghamton, NY$74,868
Rock Hill, SC$74,860
Rockford, IL$74,821
Springfield, IL$74,790
Elyria, OH$74,782
Fargo, ND$74,782
Flagstaff, AZ$74,728
Fort Lauderdale, FL$74,681
Duluth, MN$74,634
Miami, FL$74,634
Cheyenne, WY$74,580
Grand Forks, ND$74,580
Bangor, ME$74,409
Cedar Rapids, IA$74,324
Durham, NC$74,291
Louisville, KY$74,285
Grand Rapids, MI$74,269
Hialeah, FL$74,262
Casper, WY$74,153
Scranton, PA$74,060
New Orleans, LA$74,036
Virginia Beach, VA$74,029
Akron, OH$73,990
Peoria, IL$73,889
Sarasota, FL$73,873
Nashville, TN$73,819
Omaha, NE$73,819
Green Bay, WI$73,819
Baton Rouge, LA$73,780
Charleston, SC$73,764
Jamestown, NY$73,726
Davenport, IA$73,726
Tucson, AZ$73,687
Saint Petersburg, FL$73,640
Tampa, FL$73,625
Evansville, IN$73,578
Port Arthur, TX$73,578
Bradenton, FL$73,547
Santa Fe, NM$73,407
Orlando, FL$73,267
Clearwater, FL$73,244
Canton, OH$73,081
La Crosse, WI$73,081
Albuquerque, NM$73,034
Newport News, VA$73,026
High Point, NC$73,003
Ogden, UT$72,972
Corpus Christi, TX$72,910
Norfolk, VA$72,863
Laramie, WY$72,863
Rock Island, IL$72,817
Saginaw, MI$72,801
Jacksonville, FL$72,793
Salisbury, NC$72,778
Boise, ID$72,762
Moline, IL$72,724
Fort Myers, FL$72,700
Memphis, TN$72,685
Tulsa, OK$72,646
Waterloo, IA$72,599
Spartanburg, SC$72,522
Lincoln, NE$72,483
Fort Wayne, IN$72,467
Provo, UT$72,459
Cedar Falls, IA$72,366
San Antonio, TX$72,335
Greensboro, NC$72,304
South Bend, IN$72,296
Savannah, GA$72,211
Muskegon, MI$72,180
Birmingham, AL$72,172
Winston Salem, NC$72,134
Lake Charles, LA$71,947
Anderson, IN$71,931
Lexington, KY$71,908
Augusta, GA$71,885
Greenville, SC$71,885
Lima, OH$71,822
Wichita, KS$71,815
Tuscaloosa, AL$71,815
Columbia, SC$71,745
Springfield, OH$71,729
Asheville, NC$71,605
Bloomington, IN$71,551
Knoxville, TN$71,271
Shreveport, LA$71,263
Wilmington, NC$71,162
Roanoke, VA$71,162
Topeka, KS$71,022
Frankfort, KY$71,014
Oklahoma City, OK$70,960
Chillicothe, OH$70,929
Longview, TX$70,921
Melbourne, FL$70,914
Sioux Falls, SD$70,789
Mobile, AL$70,782
Terre Haute, IN$70,750
Altoona, PA$70,704
Amarillo, TX$70,650
Killeen, TX$70,626
Fayetteville, AR$70,564
Chattanooga, TN$70,541
Sioux City, IA$70,471
Idaho Falls, ID$70,455
Lynchburg, VA$70,393
Gainesville, FL$70,292
Portsmouth, OH$70,253
Little Rock, AR$70,238
Lafayette, LA$70,207
Youngstown, OH$70,207
Daytona Beach, FL$70,160
Clarksville, TN$70,152
Pensacola, FL$70,145
Temple, TX$70,139
Hopkinsville, KY$69,912
Erie, PA$69,896
Florence, SC$69,865
Charleston, WV$69,741
Great Falls, MT$69,702
Macon, GA$69,593
Tallahassee, FL$69,585
Fayetteville, NC$69,570
Waco, TX$69,554
Helena, MT$69,500
Pine Bluff, AR$69,470
Vincennes, IN$69,376
Lubbock, TX$69,344
Alamogordo, NM$69,298
Twin Falls, ID$69,228
Rapid City, SD$69,205
Jackson, MS$69,065
Huntington, WV$69,059
Greenville, MS$69,057
Parkersburg, WV$68,978
Montgomery, AL$68,964
Wichita Falls, TX$68,886
Springfield, MO$68,886
Biloxi, MS$68,847
Monroe, LA$68,770
Johnstown, PA$68,715
Sumter, SC$68,684
Columbus, GA$68,676
Pascagoula, MS$68,529
Abilene, TX$68,529
Kingsport, TN$68,327
Albany, GA$68,327
Gulfport, MS$68,304
Alexandria, LA$68,047
Fort Smith, AR$67,853
El Paso, TX$67,643
Las Cruces, NM$67,294
Harlingen, TX$67,096
Pocatello, ID$67,084
Florence, AL$66,983
Brownsville, TX$66,967
Mcallen, TX$66,804
Dothan, AL$66,696
Columbus, MS$66,234
Altus, OK$65,872
Lawton, OK$65,725
Pierre, SD$65,445
What Skills Can Increase a Senior 3d Animator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 15% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Aviation (Mentioned in 5% Job Postings): Aviation is the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. Aircraft includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air balloons and airships.
Counterintelligence (Mentioned in 5% Job Postings): Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service.
Senior 3d Animator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Senior 3d Animator'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$75,119
Average$77,680/year
$106,532
$6,260
Average$6,473/month
$8,878
$1,445
Average$1,494/week
$2,049
$36
Average$37/hour
$51
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$106,532
$8,878
$2,049
$51
Average
$77,680
$6,473
$1,494
$37
25th Percentile
$75,119
$6,260
$1,445
$36
Salaries of Jobs related to Senior 3d Animator
3D Animator V$157,000
3D Animator IV$129,300
3D Lead Animator$97,135
3D Animator III$94,300
3d Animator$90,345
3D Animator II$77,800
3D Generalist/Animator$75,007
3D Animator/Designer$74,611
3d Character Animator$70,848
3D Artist/Animator$65,690
3D Animator I$63,500
Most common benefits for Senior 3d Animator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
