Side-by-side distribution
Animator
$125,880
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21.4%
- Live roles
- 84
Editor
$85,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 32.7%
- Live roles
- 614
Highest-paying jobs
Lead Gameplay Animator
Gameplay Animator (Senior/Principal)
Senior Technical Gameplay Animator
Senior Technical Gameplay Animator
Rive Motion Designer and Animator (Contract-to-Hire)
Lead Animator
Lead Animator
Senior Gameplay Animator
Senior Gameplay Animator
Senior Animator, Unannounced Super Fun Video Game (Contract)
Highest-paying jobs
Strategic Content Editor (Contract-to-Hire)
Standards Editor
Senior Editor
Audio Editor - AI Trainer
Video Editor - AI Trainer
Film & Video Editor - AI Trainer
Content Video Editor - AI Trainer
Regulatory Writer and/or Regulatory QC/ Editor
Safety Transparency Editor, Safety Systems
Senior Editor, D.C.
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
2K
|
$124,260 | 3 |
Sony Pictures Imageworks
|
$71,417 | 3 |
| BS Bonfire Studios | $221,817 | 2 |
Wild Card Creative Group
|
$120,000 | 2 |
|
Naughty Dog
|
$176,950 | 1 |
|
PlayStation Global
|
$176,700 | 1 |
|
Rilla
|
$166,400 | 1 |
| 3U 31st Union | $152,780 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
EverAI
|
$64,000 | 34 |
The New York Times
|
$132,068 | 22 |
Black White Zebra
|
$125,000 | 12 |
NoGigiddy
|
$44,720 | 9 |
|
Handshake
|
$260,000 | 4 |
Assist World
|
$104,000 | 4 |
Penske Media Corp.
|
$85,000 | 4 |
Chicago Public Media
|
$95,084 | 3 |
Editor salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | $135,000 | 10 |
| New York | $127,490 | 41 |
| Austin | $115,000 | 7 |
| Denver | $115,000 | 6 |
| San Francisco | $111,250 | 10 |
| Chicago | $103,905 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $95,000 | 11 |
| Atlanta | $75,000 | 3 |
Animator vs Editor: which pays more?
The median for Animator is $125,880 per year (typically $90,156–$162,995), versus $85,000 for Editor ($64,000–$129,990). That puts Animator about 48% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Animator and Editor are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.