Side-by-side distribution
Animator
$125,880
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21.7%
- Live roles
- 83
Journalist
$124,636
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 33.3%
- Live roles
- 45
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
Freelance Multimedia Journalist
Senior Video Journalist, Podcast Video, Popcast
Senior Video Journalist, Cinematography (Temp)
Senior Video Journalist, International
Senior Video Journalist, NYT Magazine
Senior Video Journalist, The Interview
Video Journalist, Visual Investigations
CLO Data Journalist
Video Journalist, Reporter Video (Culture & Lifestyle)
Video Journalist, Reporter Video
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
The New York Times
|
$138,490 | 9 |
|
Cheddar
|
$182,000 | 1 |
|
9fin
|
$120,000 | 1 |
AirGarage
|
$120,000 | 1 |
Insurify
|
$75,000 | 1 |
TEGNA Inc.
|
$70,000 | 1 |
Snappr
|
$52,000 | 1 |
Journalist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $133,813 | 10 |
Animator vs Journalist: which pays more?
The median for Animator is $125,880 per year (typically $90,156–$162,995), versus $124,636 for Journalist ($120,000–$138,490). That puts Animator about 1% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Animator and Journalist 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.