Search jobs now Find the right job type for you Explore how we help job seekers Contract talent Permanent talent Learn how we work with you Executive search Finance and Accounting Technology Marketing and Creative Legal Administrative and Customer Support Technology Risk, Audit and Compliance Finance and Accounting Digital, Marketing and Customer Experience Legal Operations Human Resources 2026 Salary Guide Demand for Skilled Talent Report Building Future-Forward Tech Teams Job Market Outlook Press Room Salary and hiring trends Adaptive working Competitive advantage Work/life balance Inclusion Browse jobs Find your next hire Our locations

Animator in Ann Arbor, MI

Animator Job Description

Animators breathe life and personality into characters, scenes and other animation elements used to tell stories in cartoons, films, video games, commercials, social media and more. These creative professionals create and sequence multiple images, referred to as “frames,” to give the illusion of movement. An animator might employ digital images, hand-drawn illustrations, models or other types of images and props to create special effects and other animations using computer-generated animation, 2D or 3D model-making, or stop-frame tools and techniques. Employers seek animators with a vivid imagination who are collaborative and receptive to feedback and can work diligently under pressure. Multimedia experience, including in emerging areas like virtual reality (VR), and video editing expertise are highly valued. A bachelor’s degree in computer animation, fine arts or graphic arts is often preferred for this role. Most employers will require candidates to provide a solid portfolio of relevant creative work, including hand-drawn character designs and animation clips.

Typical animator duties:

Creating character sketches, designing backgrounds and other elements, and developing storyboards for animation projectsReading through scripts, and brainstorming and conceptualizing compelling images to help tell stories in an engaging, memorable wayWorking closely with a wide range of team members throughout projects, including artists, story editors, photographers, designers, other animators, voice actors and producersEnsuring final deliverables are high quality and delivered on time and on budget

Looking for an animator or an animator job?

Submit your resume or request talent now and our expert recruiters will be with you shortly.Robert Half can assist you with your animator recruitment needs.
Salary for Animator in Ann Arbor, MI

69444 - 100450

Low
69444
The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.
Mid
81744
The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.
High
100450
The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.
Projected salaries for related positions Job title Low Mid High Creative Director 104550 136581 166563 Art Director 85331 104550 125563 Creative Services Manager 78925 97888 117363 Instructional Designer 78669 98913 125819 Motion Designer 78156 91738 109675 Digital Designer 68931 82513 101219 Presentation Designer 63806 78925 89688 3D Modeler 61756 76619 94044 Package Designer 57144 69188 84819 Graphic Designer 53300 68931 81488 Illustrator / Infographics Designer 56119 66625 79438 Video Producer 67650 90713 107881 Video Editor 61500 73288 91225 Studio Manager 61756 73800 90456 Digital Asset Manager 58681 73800 89688 Production Manager 57144 70469 80463 Production Artist 54581 65856 74825 Production Coordinator 47919 52788 62013 Photographer 45869 60475 76106

Explore more salaries

Learn what sets our data apart

Looking to hire? Start here.

Access the skilled permanent and contract talent you need—from support roles to C-suite—with precision matching powered by Robert Half recruiters leveraging their experience combined together with our industry-leading AI technology. Hire talent

More to explore

Our starting salary projections come from a rigorous, multistep process so that our numbers accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary levels. Starting compensation—pay for someone new to a role—can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry, company size and revenue, and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our salary data in three levels: low, mid and high.