SOC 27-1014 · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro

Special Effects Artists and Animators Salary in Providence, RI

The average salary for special effects artists and animators in Providence, Rhode Island is $72,280 a year ($34.75 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $80,040: half of the people in this job in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 36% less than the U.S. average for this job ($112,870).

$72,280average per year

$34.75 / hourMedian $80,040Take-home ≈ $57,585

  • $46K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $85K75th
  • $89K90th

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

n/apeople in this job
-36%vs U.S. average
102cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Special Effects Artists and Animators pay range in Providence

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $89,080 or more. The middle half of special effects artists and animators in Providence earn between $48,640 and $84,510.

  • $46K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $85K75th
  • $89K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$72,280$6,023$34.75
Median$80,040$6,670$38.48
Entry level (25th percentile)$48,640$4,053$23.38
Experienced (75th percentile)$84,510$7,042$40.63

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

Special Effects Artists and Animators pay in Providence vs. Rhode Island and the U.S.

Special effects artists and animators in Providence earn about the same as the Rhode Island average ($74,170) and 36% less than the U.S. average ($112,870). At the median the gap is -22% against the U.S. median of $102,030.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Providence$72,280$80,040$46,070$89,080n/a
Rhode Island$74,170$80,040$45,810$99,060n/a
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 Providence

On the average salary of $72,280, a single filer in Providence takes home about $57,585 a year, or $4,799 a month and $2,215 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in RI$57,585$4,799
Working in MA$56,385$4,699

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Rhode Island's Temporary Disability Insurance payroll contribution is not included.

Rhode Island paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Providence area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.8), so the average $72,280 buys what about $71,021 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Providence ($53,680). A typical home costs $524,867, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $72,280 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 Providence: questions

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

$34.75 an hour on average, and $38.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,640, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $57,585 a year ($4,799 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $72,280. Rhode Island's Temporary Disability Insurance payroll contribution is not included.

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

The average here is 36% 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA (39300). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.2%.
  • 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). Rhode Island's Temporary Disability Insurance payroll contribution is not included.

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