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

Animation Careers in Texas

Overview: The Texas Film Commission was established in 1971. The commission has supported the Lone Star State’s animation and visual effects community by attracting blockbuster series such as the Spy Kids films, films such as Ant Bully, and  children’s television shows such as The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron. One of the reasons Hollywood productions call on Texas so often is the number of incentives the Texas movie image industry offers for productions. The state of Texas also has:

• Support service companies
• Both new and seasoned talent throughout major cities such as San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin
• One of the lowest tax burdens of any other state

Thanks to the benefits Texas offers major productions, the state enjoys a steady flow of production and post-production projects throughout its more than 55 animation and visual effects companies.

In the state of Texas, animators work mainly in the motion picture and video industries. However, animators can still find work in advertising and public relations, education, and computer systems and design. Animators interested in working in education can choose from a number of academic institutions. Texas is home to 240 colleges and universities—nearly three times the national average of 88. Many of these schools offer art and animation programs that have been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Many Texas schools also offer animation certificates, enrichment courses, or other non-degree programs.

Employment and Salary Trends for Texas Animators

As of 2009, roughly 2,010 animators worked in studios, advertising and public relations firms, computer design firms, and academic institutions throughout the state of Texas. 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 Texas earned a mean salary of $55,400 per year. In comparison, Arkansas, one of the top five top five highest paying states for animators, pays animators a mean annual wage of $61,340, which is only $6,000 less than Texas animators earn. The top five  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)
• Arkansas ($61,340 per year)

Animation Career Opportunities in Texas

Aspiring animators interested in working in the motion picture and video industries may find employment at the following top animation studios in Texas:

• Troublemaker Studios, Austin
• DNA Productions, Dallas
• 1080 Entertainment, San Antonio
• Reel FX Studios, Dallas
• Locke Bryan Productions, Houston

Advertising and public relations animators can search for opportunities with some of the world’s top advertising agencies with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. These include, but are not limited to:

• Ad Ideas Inc., San Antonio
• Design at Work Creative Services, Houston
• FKM, Houston
• The MAD House, Austin
• T3, Austin
• Witherspoon & Associated, Inc., Fort Worth

There are more than 2,600 computer systems and design firms in the state of Texas. This means, opportunities for computer systems and design animators are plentiful in the state. Although these positions are available in all cities throughout Texas, many are located in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

Texas Animation Training Programs

Texas offers access to top animation programs offered at respected institutions from Texas Tech University to the University of Texas at Austin. Other top rated schools with animation programs include:

• The Art Institute of San Antonio, San Antonio
• Texas A&M, College Station
• Sam Houston State University, Huntsville
• University of Texas at San Antonio
• Collin College, McKinney

More Animation related programs to consider:  

If you are interested in a career in animation, you can begin by enrolling in an animation degree program, a multi-media art program, a computer science program with a focus in animation or multi-media art, a fine art  program with a focus in animation, or an advertising program with a focus in animation. In addition to offering a degree in animation or multi-media art, most of the schools listed above offer degrees in the related fields.