SOC 27-1014 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · May 2025
How much do Special Effects Artists and Animators make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $76,770. The 10th percentile is $59,880 and the 90th percentile is $112,640. Employment is 100.
Median annual wage
$76,770
- 10th percentile
- $59,880
- 25th percentile
- $59,900
- Median
- $76,770
- 75th percentile
- $93,930
- 90th percentile
- $112,640
- Mean
- $82,110
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

Percentile spread
For Special Effects Artists and Animators, the published 10th percentile is $59,880 and the 90th percentile is $112,640. The difference is $52,760, which is 68.7% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.
The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $59,900 to the 75th at $93,930, covers $34,030.
The mean annual wage is $82,110, which sits above the median of $76,770. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.
National and state comparison
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD median is 24.8% lower than the national median of $102,030 for Special Effects Artists and Animators. In 2024 national prices the local median is $74,858, which is 26.6% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.
It is 7% higher than the Pennsylvania median of $71,760.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD covers more than one state. The state comparison uses Pennsylvania, the primary state on the BLS area record.
Price-adjusted pay
The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is 102.554, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $76,770 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Special Effects Artists and Animators at $74,858 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.
Nearby metros
3 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Special Effects Artists and Animators. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranks 4th of 4 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is 77 miles away, with a median of $90,050 and employment of 90. That median is 17.3% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $86,183, against $74,858 here.
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is 98 miles away, with a median of $96,760 and employment of 1,560. That median is 26% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $85,961, against $74,858 here.
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is 138 miles away, with a median of $92,760 and employment of 290. That median is 20.8% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $85,192, against $74,858 here.
Employment share
Special Effects Artists and Animators accounts for 0.00% of wage-and-salary employment in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (100 of 2,897,830). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (19,970 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.27 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.
Highest-paying jobs in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Special Effects Artists and Animators by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices
Questions this page answers
How much do Special Effects Artists and Animators make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $76,770. The 10th percentile is $59,880 and the 90th percentile is $112,640. Employment is 100.
How does that compare with the national median for Special Effects Artists and Animators?
The local median is 24.8% lower than the national median of $102,030.
What is Special Effects Artists and Animators pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD after local prices?
The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is 102.554, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $76,770 is $74,858. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD compare with nearby metros for Special Effects Artists and Animators?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 77 miles away, at $90,050. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranks 4th of 4 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.