Also called: Traditional Animator, Hand-Drawn Animator
Draws characters in motion by hand or with digital tools like Toon Boom Harmony.
A 2D animator draws key poses for a character's jump, then refines and times each drawing. On a TV series, they might turn out a few seconds of finished animation a day.
BLS special effects artists and animators median ~$99.8k (May 2024). Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) studio jobs pay well; freelance, game, and small-studio work pays less, and layoffs are common.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Animation or illustration degree; strong drawing portfolio.
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Animation, Illustration, Fine Arts.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years). Tracks animator growth; much 2D TV animation is produced overseas.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI in-betweening and style tools speed production, cutting some jobs; strong drawing and acting for key poses stay human.
Classes: Drawing and illustration, Art, Theater, Digital art.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1014.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.