Side-by-side distribution
Animator
$124,590
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25.4%
- Live roles
- 122
Photographer
$49,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 58.8%
- Live roles
- 187
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 Gameplay Animator (CONTRACT)
Senior Cinematic Facial Animator (CONTRACT)
Senior Cinematic Animator (CONTRACT)
Highest-paying jobs
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| DI Disney | $92,094 | 5 |
|
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 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
CoStar Group
|
$49,500 | 44 |
| CO Cox | $39,302 | 13 |
|
Treatwell
|
$156,697 | 11 |
FOX
|
$85,098 | 6 |
Nexstar Media Group
|
$41,600 | 4 |
TEGNA Inc.
|
$70,720 | 3 |
CACI
|
$100,175 | 2 |
Kith
|
$87,500 | 2 |
Photographer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $52,000 | 3 |
Animator vs Photographer: which pays more?
The median for Animator is $124,590 per year (typically $93,770–$169,437), versus $49,500 for Photographer ($49,500–$55,000). That puts Animator about 152% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Animator and Photographer 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.