Side-by-side distribution
Animator
$125,880
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21.4%
- Live roles
- 84
Writer
$100,100
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.6%
- Live roles
- 534
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 Finance Content Writer
Freelance Business Writer
Freelance Business Writer
Editorial Writer
Freelance Finance Content Writer
Principal Regulatory Writer (Temporary)
Senior Regulatory Writer (Temporary)
Regulatory Writer and/or Regulatory QC/ Editor
Staff Technical Writer
Senior Staff UX Writer, International
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 |
|---|---|---|
NoGigiddy
|
$42,640 | 44 |
Anduril Industries
|
$117,500 | 9 |
Costello Medical
|
$70,372 | 5 |
|
Mint Studios
|
$624,000 | 4 |
| VB Vir Biotechnology | $312,000 | 3 |
Precision Medicine Group
|
$110,000 | 3 |
Kizen
|
$145,500 | 2 |
Accenture Federal Services
|
$106,700 | 2 |
Writer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $130,476 | 6 |
| New York | $97,500 | 27 |
| Boston | $91,250 | 6 |
| Chicago | $56,810 | 10 |
| Austin | $48,880 | 8 |
| San Francisco | $42,640 | 11 |
| Los Angeles | $42,640 | 7 |
| Seattle | $42,640 | 5 |
| Denver | $42,640 | 7 |
| Atlanta | $42,640 | 7 |
Animator vs Writer: which pays more?
The median for Animator is $125,880 per year (typically $90,156–$162,995), versus $100,100 for Writer ($70,000–$140,125). That puts Animator about 26% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Animator and Writer 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.