Special Effects Artists and Animators
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · SOC 27-1014
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 27-1014 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 35.7%
- Very High · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 46/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $102,030
- H-1B offered wage $120,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 8,300
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +1.6%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 292
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 9,726 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~52.5% of this role but only ~35.7% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.
Common titles: 3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator), 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist), Animator, Artist, Digital Artist, Graphic Artist
Representative Tasks
- •Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
- •Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
- •Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
- •Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
- •Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Create computer-generated graphics or animation.
- •Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes.
- •Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
- •Maintain computer equipment or software.
- •Maintain equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 35.7% | 18.3% |
| Outlook | Average | 18% Bright |
| Median Salary | $102,030 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 64/100 | N/A |