SOC 27-1014 · Albuquerque, NM metro

Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in Albuquerque, NM

The average salary for special effects artists and animators in Albuquerque, New Mexico is $60,670 a year ($29.17 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $54,000: half of the 50 people in this job in the Albuquerque, NM metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 46% less than the U.S. average for this job ($112,870).

$60,670average per year

$29.17 / hourMedian $54,000Take-home ≈ $49,243

  • $53K10th
  • $54K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $54K75th
  • $82K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
-46%vs U.S. average
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Special Effects Artists and Animators pay range in Albuquerque

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,180 or more. The middle half of special effects artists and animators in Albuquerque earn between $54,000 and $54,010.

  • $53K10th
  • $54K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $54K75th
  • $82K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$60,670$5,056$29.17
Median$54,000$4,500$25.96
Entry level (25th percentile)$54,000$4,500$25.96
Experienced (75th percentile)$54,010$4,501$25.97

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Special Effects Artists and Animators pay in Albuquerque vs. New Mexico and the U.S.

Special effects artists and animators in Albuquerque earn about the same as the New Mexico average ($61,400) and 46% less than the U.S. average ($112,870). At the median the gap is -47% against the U.S. median of $102,030.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Albuquerque$60,670$54,000$52,790$82,18050
New Mexico$61,400$54,000$52,070$82,18080
United States$112,870$102,030$58,600$177,11019,970

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary after taxes in Albuquerque

On the average salary of $60,670, a single filer in Albuquerque takes home about $49,243 a year, or $4,104 a month and $1,894 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

New Mexico paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Albuquerque a good place for special effects artists and animators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Albuquerque area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $60,670 buys what about $63,498 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Albuquerque ($48,060). A typical home costs $352,894, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $60,670 is worth in another city

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for special effects artists and animators

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($161,540).

Special Effects Artists and Animators salary by city

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Special Effects Artists and Animators salary in Albuquerque: questions

How much do special effects artists and animators make an hour in Albuquerque?

$29.17 an hour on average, and $25.96 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level special effects artists and animators salary in Albuquerque?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $54,000, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the special effects artists and animators take-home pay in Albuquerque?

About $49,243 a year ($4,104 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,670.

Do special effects artists and animators earn more in Albuquerque than elsewhere?

The average here is 46% less than the U.S. average for this job ($112,870).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1014; area Albuquerque, NM (10740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 12.4%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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