Creative pay 2026
Motion designer salary in North Carolina (2026)
Motion designers and animators in North Carolina earn a median $88,350 a year ($42.48 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 13% below the US median of $102,030; North Carolina is 7th of 31 states. It is 1.8 times the median for all jobs in North Carolina.
- $88,350median a year in North Carolina
- $42.48median an hour
- −13%vs the US median ($102,030)
- 370employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a motion designer in North Carolina?
Half of motion designers and animators in North Carolina earn between $62,530 and $105,260. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.2 times the 10th, against 3.0 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $53,790 | $58,600 | $25.86 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $62,530 | $75,490 | $30.06 |
| Median | $88,350 | $102,030 | $42.48 |
| 75th | $105,260 | $139,130 | $50.61 |
| 90th percentile | $120,150 | $177,110 | $57.76 |
The mean (average) is $86,020, below the median.
How does North Carolina compare with other states?
North Carolina sits 7th of 31, between Arizona ($89,650) and Utah ($88,210).
How many motion designers and animators work in North Carolina?
BLS estimates 370 employee jobs, 0.07 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.58, where 1 is the US average. The employment estimate is rough: its relative standard error is 28%.
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 North Carolina?
1 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in North Carolina.
| UX/UI designer | $97,990 | 3,400 |
|---|---|---|
| Copywriter | $63,660 | 1,810 |
| Videographer | $62,720 | 380 |
| Video editor | $60,020 | 400 |
| Graphic designer | $58,450 | 5,660 |
| Photographer | $37,120 | 2,130 |
What do freelance motion designers and animators charge?
Upwork, motion graphics designers list $18 to $35 an hour, worldwide. North Carolina's employee median of $42.48 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 North Carolina?
The median is $88,350 a year and the mean is $86,020, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 370 employee jobs.
How much does a motion designer make an hour in North Carolina?
The median hourly wage is $42.48. The bottom 10% earn under $25.86 and the top 10% over $57.76.
What does a starting motion designer earn in North Carolina?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of motion designers and animators in North Carolina earn under $62,530 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $53,790, 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 = 370 jobs in the North Carolina 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
- Utah $88,210
- Florida $85,870
- Virginia $81,510
- Georgia $81,390
- Illinois $81,180
- Indiana $75,250
- Pennsylvania $71,760