Washington D.C. Animation Careers: Employment & Salary Trends, Job Opportunities, & Colleges Offering Animation Programs in Washington D.C.

Animation Careers in the District of Columbia

Overview - The District of Columbia is home to DC Film, the district's office of motion picture and television development, which helps attract a variety of productions to the area. In addition to many independent film productions, DC has been the backdrop for Hollywood productions such as In the Line of Fire, The American President, National Treasure, and Legally Blonde 2. Productions such as these encourage growth in other areas of film and video such as animation.

Aspiring animators will find:

• Several dozen animation and production studios in DC
• Top colleges such as Corcoran College of Art + Design that offer animation and digital arts degree programs
• A number of graphic design and multimedia firms that hire animators to work on everything from advertising to animated video productions

While District of Columbia animators can be found working primarily in animation studios, advertising, and independently, some also work in education. Animators interested in working in education can choose from more than 18 colleges and universities throughout the state and 265 elementary and secondary institutions. Jobs in education can also be found at 2-year colleges, which offer animation certificates, enrichment courses, or other non-degree animation programs.

Employment and Salary Trends for District of Columbia Animators

As of 2009, approximately 100 animators worked in various industries in the District of Columbia. 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 District of Columbia earned a mean salary of $58,350 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 District of Columbia

Animators may find employment at the following animation studios located in and around Washington, DC.

• O’Keefe Communications, DC
• Flipbook Productions, DC
• Pixeldust Studios, Bethesda MD
• Aloe Design Studios, Leesburg, VA
• PCM Animation Studios, Silver Spring MD

Animators may also find work at DC film studios such as Eyedeas, Screenscope, D2 productions, and Vogt Productions, to name a few.

District of Columbia Animation Training Programs

Washington DC has a number of schools that offer animation degree programs, as well as related programs that offer a concentration in animation. These include:

• Corcoran College of Art + Design
• Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts, DC Campus
• The Art Institute of Washington, VA
• American University
• Georgetown University
• Howard University

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