The median annual wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $76,330 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $81,920.
Pay spans roughly $63,580 at the 10th percentile to $113,500 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $36.70 per hour.
| Median (annual) | $76,330 |
| Mean (annual) | $81,920 |
| Median (hourly) | $36.70 |
| 10th percentile | $63,580 |
| 90th percentile | $113,500 |
| Employment | — |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.