Side-by-side distribution
Animator
$140,140
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 28.6%
- Live roles
- 91
Editor
$90,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.8%
- Live roles
- 531
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Robot Animator
Lead Gameplay Animator
Senior Technical Gameplay Animator
Senior Technical Gameplay Animator
Rive Motion Designer and Animator (Contract-to-Hire)
Lead Animator
Lead Animator
Senior Cinematic Animator (CONTRACT)
Senior Gameplay Animator (CONTRACT)
Senior Cinematic Facial Animator (CONTRACT)
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Editor
Business Editor
Safety Transparency Editor, Safety Systems
Sr. Video Editor (short-form)
Editor, Books Desk
Senior Manager, Executive Engagement Programs & Managing Editor
Social-First Videographer & Editor
Night Editor, Politics
Senior News Editor, Lifestyle & Celebrity
Editor, Audience — A.I. and Emerging Platforms
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Insomniac Games
|
$169,499 | 3 |
|
PlayStation Global
|
$169,437 | 3 |
Sony Pictures Imageworks
|
$71,417 | 3 |
|
2K
|
$129,689 | 2 |
The National Football League
|
$121,680 | 2 |
Wild Card Creative Group
|
$120,000 | 2 |
| BS Bonfire Studios | $221,817 | 1 |
| SA Skild AI | $200,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
The New York Times
|
$134,304 | 26 |
NoGigiddy
|
$44,720 | 9 |
Black White Zebra
|
$105,680 | 8 |
TEGNA Inc.
|
$62,400 | 7 |
Penske Media Corp.
|
$80,000 | 6 |
Vox Media, LLC
|
$116,000 | 4 |
Wisevu
|
$26,338 | 4 |
Forbes
|
$137,500 | 3 |
Editor salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $130,000 | 14 |
| Austin | $115,000 | 5 |
| Chicago | $115,000 | 6 |
| Denver | $115,000 | 4 |
| New York | $114,473 | 55 |
| Los Angeles | $93,000 | 10 |
| Toronto | $85,680 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $78,000 | 3 |
Animator vs Editor: which pays more?
The median for Animator is $140,140 per year (typically $101,406–$169,484), versus $90,000 for Editor ($58,240–$120,000). That puts Animator about 56% 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.