animator
Animators use software to create animations, these are rapidly sequenced together images to create an illusion of movement.
animator animators use software to create animations, these are rapidly sequenced together images to create an illusion of movement. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include graphic design, motion graphics, computer equipment, ICT software specifications, multimedia systems.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,510 a year for Graphic and multimedia designers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £26,854 to £40,000 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2142). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only animator, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Design
- Communications and Media
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Telecommunications
- Engineering and Technology
What you'd actually do
- Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
- Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
- Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
- Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
- Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
- Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does animator do?
Animators use software to create animations, these are rapidly sequenced together images to create an illusion of movement.
What skills does animator need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include graphic design, motion graphics, computer equipment, ICT software specifications, multimedia systems, computer graphics. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace animator?
Our AI-durability model gives animator a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.