Special Effects Artists and Animators pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,920 a year or less, while the top 10% make $136,740 or more. The middle half of special effects artists and animators in Chicago earn between $65,500 and $109,990.
- $63K10th
- $66K25th
- $83KMedian
- $110K75th
- $137K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $93,820 | $7,818 | $45.11 |
| Median | $83,200 | $6,933 | $40.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,500 | $5,458 | $31.49 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $109,990 | $9,166 | $52.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Special Effects Artists and Animators salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $93,820, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $70,329 a year, or $5,861 a month and $2,705 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $72,048 | $6,004 |
| Working in IL | $70,329 | $5,861 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for special effects artists and animators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $93,820 buys what about $90,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in nearby metro areas
- Ann Arbor, MI$83,770
- St. Louis, MO$78,940
- Cincinnati, OH$65,350
- Louisville, KY$55,380
- Kansas City, MO$73,620
- Omaha, NE$56,510
Highest-paying cities for special effects artists and animators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($161,540).
- San Jose, CA$161,540
- San Francisco, CA$145,960
- Seattle, WA$143,790
- Los Angeles, CA$130,260
- Sacramento, CA$120,760
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Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in Chicago: questions
How much do special effects artists and animators make an hour in Chicago?
$45.11 an hour on average, and $40.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level special effects artists and animators salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,920 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the special effects artists and animators take-home pay in Chicago?
About $70,329 a year ($5,861 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $93,820.
Do special effects artists and animators earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($119,960).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1014; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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