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

Animation Careers in Wisconsin

Overview - Film Wisconsin is a non-profit organization and public-private partnership, which was created to assist the state’s film, TV, and video game industries. Film Wisconsin helps attract a variety of productions, post-production studios, and professionals by offering incentives, easy access to locations, and an easy approval process. Films such as Transformers 3 have been filmed here as well as The Deep End of the Ocean and Public Enemies. Productions such as these have helped make Wisconsin a viable force in the film and video industry.

Because Wisconsin has a strong film and video industry as well as a variety of animation and design studios in principle cities, aspiring film and video animators find that cities such as Milwaukee and Madison are great places to start a career. In addition to a stable film and video industry Wisconsin offers:

• Many primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions with multi-media art and animation programs
• More than 1,000 computer design and information technology firms that are always searching for talented animators with a computer science background
• A variety of advertising and design firms with animation needs
• 77 colleges and universities and 2,305 elementary and secondary schools, offering plenty of opportunities for animation instructors

Many Wisconsin colleges and universities offer art and animation programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). A large number of Wisconsin community colleges such as Madison Area Technical Community College (MATC) and Madison Media Institute also offer animation certificates, enrichment courses, or other non-degree animation programs.

Employment and Salary Trends for Wisconsin Animators

As of 2009, approximately 460 animators worked in production studios, academic institutions, technology firms, and ad agencies throughout the state of Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin earned a mean salary of $47,790 per year.

The highest paying states for animators are:

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

Animation Career Opportunities in Wisconsin

Film and video animators may find employment at animation and design studios such as:

• Media Dynamics, Milwaukee
• Balance Studios, Green Bay
• Esper Images, Video & Multimedia producers, Milwaukee
• Iris Animation, Pewaukee
• Taylor Studios, Milwaukee

Animators interested in advertising and design may consider:

• Scott Advertising, Milwaukee
• Zizzo Group, Milwaukee
• Fullhouse, Milwaukee
• Boelter & Lincoln, Milwaukee
• Cramer and Kasselt, Milwaukee
• Platypus Advertising & Design, Milwaukee

Although animation positions can be found in many cities throughout the state, most are located in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, and Racine.

Wisconsin Animation Training Programs

Wisconsin offers access to a variety of animation programs from certificate programs to master’s degrees. These programs are available at 2- and 4-year colleges as well as technical schools, art schools, and media institutes. Animation training programs are offered at:

• Art Institute of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee
• Rasmussen College, Appleton, Green Bay, and Wausau
• Madison Media Institute, Madison
• IIT Technical Institute, Greenfield
• University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha

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