Career comparison
Animator vs. UX/UI Designer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
UX/UI designers earn more at the median ($104,000 vs. $102,030), while UX/UI designers usually get to work faster (4 years or bootcamp plus portfolio of training). Animators bring characters, worlds and effects to life for film, games and media. UX/UI designers design apps and websites that are easy, useful and enjoyable to use.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Animator | UX/UI Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $102,030 ($49.06/hr) | $104,000 ($50.00/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $58,600 – $177,110 | $53,750 – $201,550 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -0.3% (little or no change) | +6.0% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 4,200 | 8,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4 years plus reel | 4 years or bootcamp plus portfolio |
| Key credential | Autodesk Certified Professional | Google UX Design Certificate |
| Work setting | Animators work in studios or remotely at computers, often on teams with tight production schedules.. | Designers work in offices or remotely, mostly at computers, collaborating through design tools, video calls and workshops.. |
What each job does
Animator
- Create storyboards and concepts
- Model and rig characters and objects
- Animate characters and scenes
- Create visual effects
- Composite and render shots
UX/UI Designer
- Research user needs through interviews and data
- Create user flows, wireframes and prototypes
- Design visual interfaces and components
- Test designs with users and iterate
- Maintain design systems
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work, desk work, remote-friendly work, and high-pay. They sit in different fields, arts, media & design and technology, but share transferable skills such as creativity and empathy.
Which should you choose?
Choose animator if…
- I love animation and games
- I’m artistic
- I’m patient with detail
Choose UX/UI designer if…
- I notice when apps are confusing
- I like design and technology
- I enjoy understanding how people think
Still torn? Take the Animator fit quiz and the UX/UI Designer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, animator or UX/UI designer?
UX/UI Designers earn more at the median: $104,000 versus $102,030 for animators, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
UX/UI Designers typically train faster (4 years or bootcamp plus portfolio) than animators (4 years plus reel).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects UX/UI designers to grow +6.0% from 2025–35, compared with -0.3% for animators.