Arkansas Animation Careers: Employment & Salary Trends, Job Opportunities, & Colleges Offering Animation Programs in Arkansas

Animation Careers in Arkansas

Overview - For more than 30 years, the Arkansas Film Commission has been attracting film productions of all kinds by offering film incentives, an eager talent pool, and one of a kind backdrops such as historic Delta towns, swamplands, and pine forests. Because the state attracts a number of productions each year, Arkansas production and post-production studios may be searching for fresh talent at any given time.

While Arkansas does not have as many full-time animators as most other states, many animators in the state make a living doing freelance or part-time work while teaching at one of the states community or 4-year colleges. Animators interested in teaching may find jobs in the graphic design, fine art, or computer science departments of one of the states 50 colleges and universities. There are also opportunities to teach at the elementary and secondary levels. As of March 1, 2011, Arkansas was home to 1,151 schools.

Employment and Salary Trends for Arkansas Animators

As of 2009, 100 animators worked in production studios, colleges, advertising, and computer design firms throughout the state of Arkansas. Across the nation, employment in the animation (and multi-media) industry is expected to grow by 14 percent for the 2008-2018 decade. This is higher than all occupations in the “artists and related workers” industry. At 12 percent, art directors are second in employment growth, followed by fine artists at 9 percent.

As of May 2009, the mean annual wage for animators overall was $62,810 per year. The lowest paid animators earned $32,360 per year and the highest paid animators earned $99,130 per year. As of May 2009, animators in the state of Arkansas earned a mean salary of $61,340 per year.

The highest paying states for animators are:

• California ($76,010 per year)
• Maryland ($66,850 per year)
• Washington  ($64,840 per year)
• New York ($62,150 per year)

Animation Career Opportunities in Arkansas

Aspiring Arkansas animators may find employment at the following companies and studios:

• Atomic Tomato, Little Rock
• Bonimation, Little Rock
• Point Happy Interactive, Little Rock
• Dempsey Film Group, Little Rock
• Heathcott Associates, Little Rock

Animators with a computer science background may find opportunities at one of more the than 600 computer technology firms in Arkansas. Although these and other animation jobs are available in many cities throughout the state, a large number of opportunities can be found in principle cities such as Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Springdale, and Jonesboro.

Arkansas Animation Training Programs

Students interested in training for a career in animation in the state of Arkansas may find animation courses, certificate programs, or degrees at the following schools:

• Southern Arkansas University, Camden
• University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
• NorthWest Arkansas Community College, Fayetteville
• ITT Technical Institute, Little Rock

More Animation related programs to consider:  

To get started on a career in animation, you can begin by choosing one of the following degree programs:

• Animation
• Multi-media art
• Computer science with a focus in animation or multi-media art
• Fine art with a focus in animation
• Advertising with a focus in animation

After choosing a degree path, you can move on to selecting a school, and applying for admission. 

SOURCE: May 2009 BLS State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates,

2008-18. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm