Creative pay 2026
Motion designer salary in Indiana (2026)
Motion designers and animators in Indiana earn a median $75,250 a year ($36.18 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 26% below the US median of $102,030; Indiana is 19th of 31 states. The median for every job in Indiana is $47,860, so this pays 57% more than the typical job there.
- $75,250median a year in Indiana
- $36.18median an hour
- −26%vs the US median ($102,030)
- 300employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a motion designer in Indiana?
Half of motion designers and animators in Indiana earn between $54,640 and $93,090. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 1.8 times the 10th, against 3.0 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $50,920 | $58,600 | $24.48 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $54,640 | $75,490 | $26.27 |
| Median | $75,250 | $102,030 | $36.18 |
| 75th | $93,090 | $139,130 | $44.76 |
| 90th percentile | $93,090 | $177,110 | $44.76 |
The mean (average) is $73,530, below the median.
How does Indiana compare with other states?
Indiana sits 19th of 31, between Texas ($78,930) and Pennsylvania ($71,760).
| Illinois | $81,180 | +8% | 630 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $50,970 | −32% | 40 |
| Michigan | $86,630 | +15% | 230 |
| Ohio | $67,000 | −11% | 200 |
Which cities in Indiana pay motion designers and animators best?
Of the 3 metro areas in Indiana where BLS publishes a median for the job, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays most, at $83,200, 11% above the state median.
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 550 | $83,200 | $40.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 30 | $67,710 | $32.56 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 30 | $50,960 | $24.50 |
How many motion designers and animators work in Indiana?
BLS estimates 300 employee jobs, 0.09 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.73, where 1 is the US average. The employment estimate is rough: its relative standard error is 20%.
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in Indiana?
1 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Indiana.
| Copywriter | $75,820 | 450 |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI designer | $63,430 | 1,160 |
| Videographer | $56,810 | 200 |
| Graphic designer | $55,480 | 3,450 |
| Video editor | $46,780 | 450 |
| Photographer | $35,960 | 810 |
What do freelance motion designers and animators charge?
Upwork, motion graphics designers list $18 to $35 an hour, worldwide. Indiana's employee median of $36.18 an hour is above that range, and a freelancer also has to cover unpaid hours, kit and tax. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average motion designer salary in Indiana?
The median is $75,250 a year and the mean is $73,530, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 300 employee jobs.
How much does a motion designer make an hour in Indiana?
The median hourly wage is $36.18. The bottom 10% earn under $24.48 and the top 10% over $44.76.
What does a starting motion designer earn in Indiana?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of motion designers and animators in Indiana earn under $54,640 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $50,920, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-1014, Special Effects Artists and Animators. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 300 jobs in the Indiana estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Motion designer pay in other states
- Washington $133,480
- California $130,540
- Nevada $97,350
- New York $96,770
- North Carolina $88,350
- Utah $88,210
- Florida $85,870
- Virginia $81,510
- Georgia $81,390
- Illinois $81,180
- Pennsylvania $71,760