2027 Salary Guide · Marketing & Creative
BLS counts motion graphics designers with special effects artists and animators, an occupation with a $102,030 median salary in May 2025, about $108,500 in 2027 terms. That median is shaped by who employs the work: software publishers pay a $127,670 median, while advertising and PR firms pay $86,290. Motion designers who make marketing and brand content are likely closer to the lower end of that comparison.
Who's hiring
BLS medians for the largest salaried employers. Motion design for advertising clients falls in the last row; game and product animation in the first two.
| Industry | Share of workers | Median pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Software publishers (incl. game studios) | 7% | $127,670 |
| Computer systems design and related services | 4% | $103,390 |
| Motion picture and video industries | 10% | $100,990 |
| Advertising, public relations and related services | 2% | $86,290 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Special Effects Artists and Animators. About 63% of the occupation is self-employed and not included in BLS wage figures. Software publishers pay about $41,000 more at the median than advertising firms.
Pay distribution
The bar covers the whole animator and visual effects occupation. The shaded band is its middle half, $75,490 to $139,130, the range this guide uses for typical motion design titles. BLS does not measure motion graphics pay separately.
Typical for the Motion Graphics Designer title: $75,490 to $139,130 (25th to 75th percentile of Special Effects Artists and Animators)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,600 | $62,500 |
| 25th percentile | $75,490 | $80,000 |
| Median | $102,030 | $108,500 |
| 75th percentile | $139,130 | $148,000 |
| 90th percentile | $177,110 | $188,500 |
From static to motion
Many motion designers start in graphic design. BLS medians show what that move is worth; the stages below place it on the animator and VFX percentiles.
Median $62,960 (Graphic Designers occupation)
Animates social assets and presentations in After Effects. O*NET lists After Effects among graphic designers' tools, so many start here.
About $58,600 to $75,500 (10th to 25th percentile)
Builds animations from existing storyboards and brand systems. BLS says employers look for a strong portfolio, which for motion means a reel.
About $75,500 to $139,100 (25th to 75th percentile)
Concepts and animates full pieces: explainers, broadcast packages, product UI motion. Adding 3D and compositing makes a designer eligible for the software and film employers that pay the most.
About $139,100 to $177,100+ (75th to 90th percentile)
Directs motion style across a brand or product and reviews others' work, often at software or entertainment employers.
Local pay
The San Francisco Bay Area ($136,770), Seattle ($134,120), Los Angeles ($124,590) and San Diego ($118,750) lead. Los Angeles is the largest market by far, with about 4,650 workers in the occupation, three times New York City, where the median is lower at $96,760. Pittsburgh is lowest at $69,300. BLS does not publish job counts for several metros, and no data at all for Detroit or Portland.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $136,770 +34% | $86,370 – $205,810 | 1,440 |
| Seattle | $134,120 +31% | $65,380 – $210,350 | 1,030 |
| Los Angeles | $124,590 +22% | $64,740 – $206,900 | 4,650 |
| San Diego | $118,750 +16% | $78,010 – $162,580 | 100 |
| New York City | $96,760 -5% | $62,640 – $176,000 | 1,560 |
| Phoenix | $96,670 -5% | $65,810 – $100,230 | 150 |
| Washington, DC | $92,760 -9% | $55,410 – $138,210 | 290 |
| Charlotte | $92,340 -9% | $57,570 – $131,320 | — |
| Denver | $91,290 -11% | $67,310 – $129,580 | 140 |
| Baltimore | $90,050 -12% | $54,100 – $123,650 | 90 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $83,200 -18% | $62,920 – $136,740 | 550 |
| Austin | $82,570 -19% | $61,910 – $150,000 | — |
| Boston | $80,640 -21% | $57,900 – $105,370 | — |
| Providence | $80,040 -22% | $46,070 – $89,080 | — |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $79,390 -22% | $57,480 – $183,190 | — |
| Raleigh | $79,360 -22% | $51,520 – $124,230 | 100 |
| Houston | $77,690 -24% | $53,890 – $126,250 | — |
| Philadelphia | $76,770 -25% | $59,880 – $112,640 | 100 |
| Atlanta | $76,110 -25% | $36,580 – $103,480 | 290 |
| Miami | $74,520 -27% | $62,980 – $127,490 | 180 |
| Tampa | $74,140 -27% | $62,780 – $108,870 | 100 |
| Pittsburgh | $69,300 -32% | $51,290 – $103,950 | — |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
About the data
There is no separate BLS occupation for motion graphics. O*NET lists Motion Graphics Artist among the reported titles for Special Effects Artists and Animators, alongside 3D animators, digital artists and multimedia producers. The occupation's tasks range from character animation and visual effects to product labels and promotional graphics.
That mix matters for pay. The highest-paying employers are software publishers and computer systems firms, where animation is often part of a game or product. Brand, social and broadcast graphics work for marketing teams is closer to the advertising industry median of $86,290.
The BLS figures also leave out most of the field. About 63% of workers in the occupation are self-employed, and OEWS wage data covers only employees, so freelance day rates are not reflected here.
Outlook
BLS projects little or no change in employment from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year among roughly 51,900 workers. Demand for animation and effects in games, film and TV supports jobs, but BLS notes some tasks can now be done faster with AI.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Special Effects Artists and Animators as a whole.
Compare
The animator and VFX occupation used for motion designers pays about $39,000 more at the median than graphic design. Video producers earn about $12,000 less, and art directors about $13,000 more.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Graphics Designer | $102,030 | $108,500 | Little or no change |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 | $67,000 | Decline |
| Video Producer | $90,360 | $96,000 | Average |
| Art Director | $114,850 | $122,000 | Average |
| Illustrator | $55,490 | $59,000 | Decline |
FAQ
BLS counts motion graphics designers with special effects artists and animators, whose median was $102,030 in May 2025. The middle half earned $75,490 to $139,130. At 3.1% annual wage growth, the 2027 planning median is about $108,500. Motion designers in advertising earn less, with a BLS industry median of $86,290.
For the occupation, BLS reports a median of $49.06 an hour in May 2025, with $28.17 at the 10th percentile and $85.15 at the 90th. These are wages for employees. Self-employed workers, about 63% of the occupation, set day or project rates that BLS does not track.
Yes, by a wide margin in BLS data. The median for the animator and VFX occupation, $102,030, is about $39,000 above the graphic designer median of $62,960. Part of that gap comes from software and film employers, which pay more than marketing teams.
O*NET lists Adobe After Effects, Illustrator and Creative Cloud, Apple Final Cut Pro, Autodesk 3ds Max, Unity and Figma among the tools used in this occupation. After Effects is shared with graphic design; 3D and real-time tools such as 3ds Max and Unity open the higher-paying software and game employers.
Pay is well above most creative roles, with a BLS median over $100,000. BLS projects little or no change in employment through 2035 and about 4,200 openings a year, and it notes that AI can speed up some animation and effects tasks, so a strong reel matters.
Careerscape recruiters review reels before they reach you, for contract, contract-to-hire or direct-hire motion design roles.
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