The Croner Company

Croner Animation & Visual Effects Survey

United States (primarily)Edition: 2025$$$

Focused compensation survey for animation and visual-effects studios. In 2025, 15 participating companies covering production, creative, and technical roles.

Narrow but deep coverage of animation and VFX studios; the benchmark for that niche.

Base salaryShort-term incentivesLong-term incentives / equityBenefits

View on The Croner Company site

Survey cycle

Annual

Plan your purchase against this publisher’s schedule.

1Participation opens
Varies by survey
When employers can submit data
2Effective date
April 1 (most surveys)
Data is reported “as of” this date
3Results published
Varies by survey
When subscribers receive the dataset

The Croner Company's industry surveys are annual; most use an April 1 effective date.

Job families covered

3D Environment Administrative Assistance Animated Feature Film Editing Animatics Editing Animation Supervisor Animation Writing Animator Archive Artist Management Associate Animator Associate Individual Contributor Associate Production Manager Audio Visual Technician Business Partnership By Level:By Position:Canada Compensation Data – Reported in 2025 Casting Character Animation Character Design Character Set-Up / Rigging Character Simulation Character Simulation Technical Director Color Science Communications Composing Compositing Compositing Supervisor Compositor Crowds Cultural Consulting Development Digital Effects Supervisor Digital Resource Management Direction”Director's Assistant / Producer's Assistant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ("DEI")Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”)Effects Effects / Live Action – Individual Contributor Effects / Live Action – Pipeline / Sequence Leadership Effects / Live Action – Senior / Lead Individual Contributor Effects Artist Effects Supervisor Exhibits Design Fabrication Facilities Management Feature Effects Producing Generalist Art Generalist Technical Direction Generative AI Art Head of Character Animation Human Resources Individual Contributor Information Technology Support Layout Layout Artist Layout Finaling Legal Legal and Business Affairs Lighting Lighting Artist Line Producing Marketing / Promotions Match Moving Matte Modeler Modeling Motion Capture Motion Graphics Music On-Set Data Acquisition Physical Asset Management Pipeline / Sequence Leadership Pipeline Software Engineering Post Production Pre-Visualization Producing Producing – Senior Individual Contributor Production Accounting Production Assistant Production Coordinator Production Finance Production Management Production Manager Production Systems / Tools Software Engineer Production Systems / Tools Software Engineering Production Systems Administration Projection Recording Engineering Recruiter Recruiting Rendering Rotoscope / Digital Paint Art Script Sculpting Senior / Lead 3D Environment Artist Senior / Lead Animator Senior / Lead Character Set-Up / Rigging Technical Director Senior / Lead Compositor Senior / Lead Digital Matte Artist Senior / Lead Effects Artist Senior / Lead Individual Contributor Senior / Lead Layout Artist Senior / Lead Lighting Artist Senior / Lead Modeler Senior / Lead Shading / Texture Painting Artist Senior Manager, Production Systems / Tools Software Engineering Senior Production Leadership / Head of Function Senior Production Systems / Tools Software Engineer Shading / Texture Painting Shading / Texture Painting Artist Sound Editing Sourcing and Procurement Special Projects Editing Stereoscopic Imaging Stop Motion Story Story / Visual Development – Individual Contributor Story / Visual Development – Senior / Lead Individual Contributor TV Animation / Shorts Talent Development Outreach Technical Technical / Shot Production – Individual Contributor Technical / Shot Production – Senior / Lead Individual Contributor Technology Systems and Support – Individual Contributor Technology Systems and Support – Senior Individual Contributor Training Transfer Operations Virtual Production Visual Development Visual Effects Editing “Pipeline

Positions in this report (391)

Benchmarks for these roles are included in Croner Animation & Visual Effects Survey. Click any position to see every report (from any vendor) that covers it.