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

Animation Careers in Tennessee

Overview - The state of Tennessee encourages art production through contests, training programs, film incentives, and a significant amount of resources for artists of all kinds. For animators, digital artists, musicians, and filmmakers, the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, & Music Commission is the place to seek out career and education opportunities. This organization helps keep the Tennessee art and animation community productive, while attracting production and post-production firms from around the country. This means, animators interested in film and video production will have an impressive number of opportunities to work in the industry in Tennessee.

While Tennessee animators can be found working primarily in post-production, some also work in advertising, education, and computer design and technology. Tennessee has more than 300 computer design and information technology firms in Nashville and Memphis alone, and many of these firms frequently hire talented animators with a computer science background.

Animators interested in working in education can choose from 106 colleges and universities throughout the state and more than 1,700 elementary and secondary institutions. Postsecondary instructors can find work at top technical schools such as the International Academy of Design & Technology in Nashville or art colleges such as Watkins College of Art, Design & Film, also in Nashville.

Many Tennessee colleges and universities offer National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredited art and animation programs. A large number of Tennessee 2- and 4-year colleges also offer animation certificates, enrichment courses, or other non-degree animation programs.

Employment and Salary Trends for Tennessee Animators

As of 2009, approximately 220 animators worked in production studios, advertising agencies, academic institutions, and computer design firms throughout the state of Tennessee. 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 Tennessee earned a mean salary of $51,780 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 Tennessee

Aspiring animators interested in working in the film and video industries may find employment at the following Tennessee animation studios:

• Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio, Nashville
• Zoe Creative Services, Nashville
• NorthStar Studios, Nashville
• FunnyPages Productions, Franklin
• Launch Studio, Knoxville

Aspiring animators interested in working in the advertising and marketing may find employment at the following top firms:

• Scripps Networks, Knoxville
• The Tombras Group, Knoxville
• Paradigm Marketing & Creative, Memphis
• Gish, Sherwood & Friends, Nashville
• FMB Advertising, Knoxville

Although animation positions can be found in many cities throughout the state, most are located in principle cities such as Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville.

Tennessee Animation Training Programs

In addition to the International Academy of Design & Technology and Watkins College of Art, Design & Film, aspiring animators will find animation programs and concentrations at:

• East Tennessee State University, Johnson City
• Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro
• O'More College of Design, Franklin
• Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro
• Art Institute of Tennessee, Nashville

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

In addition to offering a degree in animation or multi-media art, most of the schools listed in this article offer degrees in the related fields mentioned above.

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

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