Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $136,770. BLS estimates approximately 1,440 people work in this occupation in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is 34.0% above the national median ($102,030).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $86,370 | $41.52 |
| 25th percentile | $105,050 | $50.51 |
| Median (50th) | $136,770 | $65.76 |
| 75th percentile | $168,090 | $80.81 |
| 90th percentile | $205,810 | $98.95 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 3% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 13.8% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.605
- Location quotient
- 4.71
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA’s regional price level is above the national average (index 115.613, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $118,300 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.