As of June 01, 2026, the average annual salary for character design in Chicago, IL is $99,038, equivalent to $48 per hour, $1,905 weekly, or $8,253 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for character design in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for character design in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $80,823 to $113,271. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($89,504) and 75th percentile ($106,488), while top earners (90th percentile) make $113,271 per year. This $16,984 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Collaboration or Software Design, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Chicago character design often earn 1.4% higher than national averages. However, Chicago currently ranks 249 statewide for character design job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
character design Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile character design Salary $80,823 Chicago, IL June 01, 2026
25th Percentile character design Salary $89,504 Chicago, IL June 01, 2026
50th Percentile character design Salary $99,038 Chicago, IL June 01, 2026
75th Percentile character design Salary $106,488 Chicago, IL June 01, 2026
90th Percentile character design Salary $113,271 Chicago, IL June 01, 2026
25% $89,504 10% $80,823 90% $113,271 75% $106,488 $99,038 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a character design ?

Character design salary varies based on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions typically offer salaries ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, while mid-level designers can earn between $60,000 and $90,000. Senior character designers or those with specialized skills may command salaries exceeding $100,000. Factors influencing salary include the complexity of the projects, the size of the company, and the designer's portfolio. Industries such as video games, animation, and film often provide higher compensation due to the demand for skilled artists. Freelance character d...

Source: (as of 06/04/2025). Read more from

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Job Openings for character design in Chicago, IL

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a character design, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
89504
106488
99038

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
97732
124474
112336
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of character design in Chicago, IL. The base salary for character design ranges from $89,504 to $106,488 with the average base salary of $99,038. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $97,732 to $124,474 with the average total cash compensation of $112,336.

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89504
106488

 

About Chicago, Illinois    Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third mos....More

Chicago, Illinois  area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago

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