Special Effects Artists and Animators pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $210,350 or more. The middle half of special effects artists and animators in Seattle earn between $103,030 and $178,970.
- $65K10th
- $103K25th
- $134KMedian
- $179K75th
- $210K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $143,790 | $11,982 | $69.13 |
| Median | $134,120 | $11,177 | $64.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $103,030 | $8,586 | $49.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $178,970 | $14,914 | $86.04 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Special Effects Artists and Animators salary after taxes in Seattle
On the average salary of $143,790, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $109,546 a year, or $9,129 a month and $4,213 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for special effects artists and animators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $143,790 buys what about $129,386 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in nearby metro areas
- Reno, NV$106,380
- Sacramento, CA$120,760
- Salt Lake City, UT$100,620
- San Francisco, CA$145,960
- San Jose, CA$161,540
- Las Vegas, NV$94,300
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 Seattle: questions
How much do special effects artists and animators make an hour in Seattle?
$69.13 an hour on average, and $64.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level special effects artists and animators salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,030, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the special effects artists and animators take-home pay in Seattle?
About $109,546 a year ($9,129 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $143,790. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do special effects artists and animators earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.84, this job is 3.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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