| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City | $87,690 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Hayward | $86,010 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale | $83,260 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $80,470 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine | $76,420 |
Overview: Animation Careers in California
California is home to more animators and multimedia artists than any other state in the nation. Aspiring animators and multimedia artists flock to California because it offers the opportunity to work with some of the largest animation studios in the world, from Pixar to Disney to Nickelodeon. Employment and salary growth are impressive in The Golden State as well and California is home to some of the world’s top animation schools and programs.
Although the motion picture and video industries employ the highest number of animators in the world, advertising and public relations, computer systems design, and software publishers also employ a large number of animators. Fortunately, aspiring animators that are interested in these fields will find ample opportunities throughout San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Burbank, Oakland, Santa Ana, San Diego, Irvine, and more.
Many animators choose to teach while working in the field. In California, you will find no shortage of teaching opportunities at more than 450 colleges and universities, thousands of other learning environments from art centers to independent studios, and thousands of secondary and elementary schools. The state is also home to nearly 913,000 teachers averaging anywhere from $58,000 up to $115,000 or more per year. In addition, California offers more opportunities to continue working in the field, while teaching than just about every other state.
Employment and Salary Trends for California Animators
California is home to 9,560 multimedia artists and animators. While the population dipped from 10,510 in 2009, salaries are on the rise. In 2009, California-based multimedia artists and animators average $77,820 per year. Today, they average $82,170 per year, making California the top paying state for this occupation.
The California metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of animators and multimedia artists are the San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City metro area ($87,690 annually) and the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area ($83,260 annually). These areas are also among the nation’s top paying metro areas for this occupation. All are located in California, however, and are as follows:
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City - $87,690 annual average
- Oakland-Fremont-Hayward - $86,010
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale - $83,260
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara - $80,470
- Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine - $76,420
Animation Career Opportunities in California
As mentioned, the world’s top animation studios are located in California. Aspiring film and video animators may find employment at major studios such as:
- 20th Century Fox Animation, Los Angeles
- DreamWorks Animation, Glendale
- Legacy Interactive, Los Angeles
- Lucasfilm Animation, San Francisco
- Luma Pictures, Santa Monica
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Beverly Hills
- Pixar Animation, Emeryville
- Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), San Mateo
- Sony Pictures Animation, Culver City
- Walt Disney Animation Studios, Burbank
- Warner Bros. Animation, Burbank
Advertising and public relations animators can search for opportunities with some of the world’s top advertising agencies with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. These include, but are not limited to:
- DDB Needham, Los Angeles
- Foote, Cone & Belding, Los Angeles
- Goodby, Silverstein, & Partners, San Francisco
- J. Walter Thompson, Los Angeles
- Ogilvy & Mather, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco
- Publicis & Hal Rainey, San Francisco
- Saatchi & Saatchi LA, Torrance
- Wieden & Kennedy, San Francisco
There are thousands of computer systems and design firms in California. This means, opportunities for computer systems and design animators are plentiful in the state. Although these positions are available in all major cities, head to northern California where you will find the largest population of professionals in this field. As you may have guessed, Silicon Valley leads the pack.
California Animation Training Programs to Consider:
California Animation Schools
California offers access to top-tier animation programs offered at prominent institutions such as the University of Southern California (USC) and Chapman University. In addition to these and the animation schools listed above, the following are some of the world's best schools for aspiring animators:
- California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Valencia, California
- University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
- Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA
- Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California
- Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Hollywood, California
- Woodbury University, Burbank, California
- San Jose State University, San Jose, California
- Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
- Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California
- Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California
- California State University-Long Beach, Long Beach, California
- California College of the Arts, San Francisco and Oakland, California
- The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- California State University-Northridge, Northridge, California
- Ex’Pression College, Emeryville and San Jose, California
- New York Film Academy, Los Angeles, California
- The Art Institute of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- California State University – Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
If you are interested in a career in animation, you can begin by enrolling in an accredited animation degree program. Program titles run the gamut from Animation to Experimental Animation to Animation and Visual Effects, and more. To ensure that you are receiving the highest quality education, consider schools and programs that are accredited by agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) are just a few. Visit the U.S. Department of Education website for a complete list of recognized regional and national accrediting agencies.
Awesome Animation Fact: While the animated short film ‘Destino’ was released in 2003, it had its beginnings in 1945. It was originally a collaboration between Walt Disney and surrealist painter, Salvador Dali. -Smatterist