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Industry Snapshot: Motion Design and Animation

Updated September 29, 2022
Motion Design Animation

The fields of motion design and animation are expanding rapidly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), animators are the second highest paid professionals in the Art and Design category, with a median salary of $78,790 in 2021. BLS also projects a 5% growth in employment for animators until 2031. Zippia.com breaks down different statistics for the field of motion graphics design, and found that the average age of Motion Graphics Designers is 38+ years old, which represents 34% of the occupation's population.

Parsons offers a pathway into this in-demand creative field. Learn about the art of motion design and animation with our Motion Design and Animation Certificate. This three-course Continuing Education online certificate covers both concept development and technical approaches to time-based storytelling in video and film production.

Parsons Motion Design instructor Miranda Javid says "My favorite thing about teaching Continuing Ed students is the way they bring all of their prior life experience into the classroom; often, the result is works imbued with valuable life lessons, prior learning in a variety of fields, and an overall maturity that is so rewarding to nurture." Javid recently animated a portion of Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival's 2021 signal film. Check out more of her work on her website and Instagram.

Freelance animator, independent film director, and professor Ashley Gerst also teaches motion design with CPE. Her recent work includes animated title sequences for the feature films The Con is On (2018), Can You Keep A Secret? (2019), and The Spirit Seam (2019). Watch her latest projects on her website.

Motion Design and Animation Opportunities

According to the job market resource EMSI, there have been 13,723 job postings for motion graphics designer and animator positions in the United States from January 2021 to August 2022.

Top Hiring Locations

  • Los Angeles, CA
  • New York, NY
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Burbank, CA
  • Austin, TX
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Seattle, WA
  • Las Vegas, NV

[source: EMSI]

In-Demand Skills

Professionals looking to transition into motion design or animation careers should train in these hard skills listed below:
  • Animations
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Motion Graphics
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Graphic Design
  • Cinema 4D
  • Marketing
  • Storyboarding

[source: EMSI]

Additional Resources

Learn even more about the motion design and animation fields and how you can find your best career fit:

Motion Graphics Designer Demographics and Statistics in the U.S.

How To Become a Motion Graphics Designer

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