2010 Motion Graphic Design Census
10 hrs.
motiongraphicdesigncensus.org
9 hrs.
8h
s.
A Note on the Survey First, let me apologize for the delay in getting this actually done and out to you. I bit off much more than I could chew with this project! I’m not making any excuses, but 2010 was a very busy year for me. Getting the time to get this done was a major challenge. The original survey was also way too complicated, with too many questions, too much fine detail, and too many topics covered. I’m still interested in answering everything we asked, but some of the detail in the survey was frankly, overkill. Also, covering the entire world with one survey is probably impossible, and definitely shortchanges regional concerns and economic differences that aren’t easily compared. Most of this survey focuses on the US Responses – since it is where I live and work, and it’s the country whose economic system I am familiar with. Pages 3-36 are responses for the US Only. I have done a brief analysis of median salaries for the non-US countries, which is included here. If you would like to partner with us to analyze the data and follow up in your own country, please get in touch with me via the website. This year we’ve narrowed our focus to 5 simple questions and to one specific country. The new survey for the US is available now via the website. Please take a minute to fill it out. We still believe that an open, accessible survey of salaries is important in our industry. Recently, some notable visual effects studios have been sued in Federal Court for collusion, and others are now participating in closed salary surveys amongst themselves. As artists in this industry, we want to share what information we have so that we can all gain some leverage in negotiating for ourselves. I hope to continue this survey in coming years so we can build on our base of information. The 2009 Motion Graphic Design Census questionnaire was written by Jake Sargeant and Bran Dougherty-Johnson. The survey was hosted online at Motionographer.com in December of 2009. The results were analyzed by Bran Dougherty-Johnson in 2010. – Bran Dougherty-Johnson, January 2010 info@motiongraphicdesigncensus.org
5,520
total responses worldwide.
2,605
total responses in the USA.
2,915
total responses outside the USA.
US Responses All Responses:
Age: 25th Percentile: 26 Median: 29 75th Percentile: 33
All Responses:
Years of Experience: +10 Years: 10 Years: 9 Years: 8 Years: 7 Years: 6 Years: 5 Years: 4 Years: 3 Years: 2 Years: 1 Year: < 1 Year:
492 95 148 109 118 187 208 242 296 291 248 173
+10
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
<1
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61
All Responses:
What software program did you use the most often in 2009? (top 10 responses) 1395 Photoshop 430 Final Cut Pro 197 Maya 147 Cinema 4D 112 Flash 61 56 3D Studio Max 40 Illustrator 29 Avid 21 Flame
After Effects
All Responses:
Mac
What hardware platform did you use the most often in 2009?
PC
2043 511 Linux 26 Flame 25
All responses:
All Responses
What is the highest level of education you received? Some High School: 58 High School: 50 Some College: 274 Associate Degree: 212 Bachelors Degree: 1757 Graduate Degree: 254
Graduate Degree
Are you a US Citizen? Yes: 2,483 No: 121
No
Some HS HS
Yes
Some College Associate Degree
All responses:
Did you go to school and graduate in a field relating to your current profession? Yes: 2006 No: 569
No
BA
Yes
Staff
Does the company you work for pay you overtime?
Self-Employed, Day-Rate
Do you charge overtime?
No: 1272 Yes: 379
Yes
No
Do you charge overtime?
No: 137 Yes: 102
No: 277 Yes: 220
Yes
Self-Employed, Hourly Rate
No
Yes
No
Staff:
How long is your typical day at work?
12 hrs.
less than 8 hrs: 8 hrs: 9 hrs: 10 hrs: 11 hrs: 12 hrs: more than 12 hrs:
113 550 530 344 55 37 22
+12 hrs.
11 hrs.
10 hrs.
9 hrs.
-8 hrs.
Self-employed, Day Rate:
Your Day Rate is based on?
+10 hrs. -8 hrs.
less than 8 hrs: 8 hrs: 9 hrs: 10 hrs: more than 10 hrs:
8 hrs. 8 hrs.
10 hrs.
9 hrs.
4 135 81 250 27
Self-employed
Do you work on site or remotely most often?
Self-employed
How did you mainly charge your clients in 2009?
On-Site: 486 50/50: 251 Remotely: 215
Day-Rate: 497 Hourly Rate: 239 Per Project: 217
Remotely
50/50
Per Project
None On-Site Written Contract
Hourly Rate Email
Oral Self-employed:
How do you make agreements with your clients? Email: Oral: Written: None:
389 203 334 26
Day Rate
Self-employed:
Hourly Rate:
<$35: 39 $35: 34 $40: 18 $45: 8 $50: 36 $55: 8 $60: 13 $65: 22 $70: 2 $75: 16 $80: 10 $85: 5 $90: 2 $95: $100: 12 $105: 1 > $110: 13
<$35
$50
$35
$65 $40
$75 $60 $45
$80
$55
$85 $70
$110+
$100
$90
$105
Self-employed:
Day Rate: $80: 1 $100: 1 $111: 1 $120: 1 $125: 2 $150: 5 $175: 1 $180: 1 $200: 12 $220: 1 $240: 1 $250: 14 $260: 2 $275: 2 $280: 1 $300: 20 $320: 3 $350: 28 $375: 3 $400: 37 $425: 1 $450: 41 $475: 4 $500: 81 $525: 1 $550: 48 $560: 1 $575: 1 $600: 66 $625: 1 $650: 46 $675: 2 $677: 1 $680: 2 $700: 15 $715: 1 $750: 12 $775: 1 $800: 12 $850: 2 $900: 2 $1000: 4 $1200: 1 $1250: 1 $1500: 1 $1600: 1 $2500: 1
$80 $100 $111 $120 $125 $150 $175 $180 $200
$220 $240 $250
$425 $450
$475 $500
$625 $650
$675 $677 $680 $700
$260 $275 $280 $300
$320 $350
$525 $550
$715 $750
$775 $800
$375 $400
$560 $575 $600
$850 $900 $1000
$1200 $1250 $1500 $1600 $2500
All Responses:
Annual Income:
All Jobs (2605) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $50,000 75th Percentile: $80,000
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Staff
Median, All Responses
All Jobs (1651) 25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $50,000 75th Percentile: $80,000 Self-Employed:
All Jobs (954) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $90,000 less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Animator (90)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $40,000 75th Percentile: $60,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Animator (80) 25th Percentile: $20,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Art Director (142)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $60,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $100,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Art Director (49) 25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $90,000 75th Percentile: $130,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Assistant Editor (18)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $20,000 Median: $30,000 75th Percentile: $50,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Assistant Editor (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Associate Creative Director (6)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $110,000 Median: $120,000 75th Percentile: $130,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Associate Creative Director (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Associate Producer (8)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $50,000 75th Percentile: $60,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Associate Producer (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Concept Artist (N/A)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Concept Artist (5) 25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: <$20,000 75th Percentile: <$20,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
CG Generalist (65)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $80,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
CG Generalist (63) 25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Compositor (15)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $40,000 75th Percentile: $50,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Compositor (29) 25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: $20,000 75th Percentile: $100,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Coordinator (8)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $30,000 75th Percentile: $40,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Coordinator (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Designer (137)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $40,000 75th Percentile: $50,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Designer (65) 25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: $30,000 75th Percentile: $50,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Creative Director (134)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $130,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Creative Director (87) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $70,000 75th Percentile: $100,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Designer / Animator (577)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $50,000 75th Percentile: $60,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Designer / Animator (370) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Director (11)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Director (25) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $70,000 75th Percentile: $120,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Editor (127)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $40,000 75th Percentile: $50,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Editor (69) 25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: $30,000 75th Percentile: $70,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Executive Producer (18)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $110,000 75th Percentile: $140,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Executive Producer (7) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $130,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Flame Artist (15)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $60,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $150,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Flame Artist (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Flash Developer (6)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $70,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Flash Developer (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Intern (14)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: <$20,000 75th Percentile: <$20,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Intern (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Principal / Partner (9)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $70,000 Median: $90,000 75th Percentile: $150,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Principal / Partner (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Producer (49)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $50,000 75th Percentile: $70,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Producer (19) 25th Percentile: $40,000 Median: $60,000 75th Percentile: $100,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Rotoscope Artist (N/A)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
:
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Rotoscope Artist (69) 25th Percentile: <$20,000 Median: $30,000 75th Percentile: $60,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Senior Designer (140)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $70,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Senior Designer (37) 25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $100,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Senior Producer (16)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $50,000 Median: $80,000 75th Percentile: $110,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Senior Producer (10) 25th Percentile: $30,000 Median: $40,000 75th Percentile: $90,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Technical Director (49)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $80,000 Median: $100,000 75th Percentile: $130,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Technical Director (N/A)
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Annual Income:
Staff:
Visual Effects Supervisor (11)
Job Title (# of responses)
Range of all responses
25th Percentile: $80,000 Median: $100,000 75th Percentile: $150,000
Median, Staff
Median, Self-employed
Self-employed:
Visual Effects Supervisor (10) 25th Percentile: $80,000 Median: $90,000 75th Percentile: $160,000
less than $20,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 $190,000 $200,000
Non-US: All Responses, Annual Income:
Argentina (49)
Bulgaria (8)
Denmark (13)
Median: <$20,000
Median: <$20,000
Median: $80,000
Australia (83)
Canada (157)
Egypt (9)
Median: $50,000
Median: $40,000
Median: <$20,000
Austria (7)
Chile (8)
Finland (10)
Median: $30,000
Median: <$20,000
Median: $40,000
Belgium (21)
China (7)
France (70)
Median: $30,000
Median: $50,000
Median: $40,000
Brazil (87)
Colombia (6)
Germany (88)
Median: $20,000
Median: <$20,000
Median: $30,000
Greece (7)
Israel (70)
Netherlands (50)
Median: $40,000
Median: $20,000
Median: $30,000
Hong Kong (11)
Italy (37)
New Zealand (16)
Median: $30,000
Median: $20,000
Median: $50,000
Hungary (6)
Japan (11)
Norway (37)
Median: <$20,000
Median: $30,000
Median: $80,000
India (30)
Malaysia (18)
Pakistan (10)
Median: <$20,000
Median: <$20,000
Median: <$20,000
Indonesia (11)
Mexico (42)
Philippines (9)
Median: <$20,000
Median: <$20,000
Median: <$20,000
Poland (20)
South Africa (11)
Taiwan (11)
Median: $20,000
Median: $20,000
Median: <$20,000
Portugal (41)
South Korea (8)
Thailand (7)
Median: <$20,000
Median: $20,000
Median: <$20,000
Romania (17)
Spain (75)
Turkey (13)
Median: <$20,000
Median: $20,000
Median: $30,000
Russia (21)
Sweden (27)
U.K (177)
Median: <$20,000
Median: $40,000
Median: $40,000
Singapore (15)
Switzerland (12)
Venezuela (8)
Median: $20,000
Median: $50,000
Median: $30,000
motiongraphicdesigncensus.org
Thank you.