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Animation Rigger Salary Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

3D Artist

Dallas, TX · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

Rigging * Animation * Editing Requirements: * 3-5 years in 3D design and animation * Proficiencies ... The 3D Artist position is a full-time role, with competitive salary, full employee medical benefits ...

3D Artist

Dallas, TX · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

Rigging * Animation * Editing Requirements: * 3-5 years in 3D design and animation * Proficiencies ... The 3D Artist position is a full-time role, with competitive salary, full employee medical benefits ...

Animation Rigger Salary information

What is the highest paying job in animation?

The highest paying jobs in animation typically include senior roles such as Lead Animator, Animation Director, or VFX Supervisor, which require extensive experience, advanced skills, and often leadership responsibilities. These positions can offer salaries exceeding six figures, especially in large studios or with specialized expertise in areas like 3D modeling, rigging, or visual effects.

What is the average salary of an animation rigger?

The average salary of an animation rigger varies depending on factors like experience, location, and the studio. In the United States, animation riggers typically earn between $50,000 and $90,000 per year, with more experienced professionals and those working at major studios earning higher salaries. Entry-level riggers may start at a lower range, while senior riggers or supervisors can earn significantly more. Freelance riggers may have different earnings depending on the projects and clients they work with.

What are some common challenges faced by animation riggers in their daily work?

Animation riggers often encounter challenges such as balancing artistic requirements with technical constraints, ensuring rigs are user-friendly for animators, and troubleshooting unexpected deformations or performance issues within complex character models. Collaboration with modelers and animators is essential, as riggers must adapt rigs to accommodate feedback and evolving project needs. Staying updated with evolving software and rigging techniques is also crucial to maintain efficiency and quality.

How to become an animation rigger?

To become an animation rigger, you typically need a strong foundation in 3D modeling, rigging, and animation, often gained through a bachelor's degree in animation, computer graphics, or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software such as Maya or Blender and understanding of character anatomy and movement are essential, along with building a portfolio to showcase your rigging skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Animation Rigger, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animation Rigger, you need a solid understanding of anatomy, kinematics, and 3D modeling principles, along with a degree in animation, computer graphics, or a related field. Proficiency in software such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, and scripting languages like Python or MEL is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective teamwork skills help riggers collaborate closely with animators and technical artists. These skills ensure the creation of flexible, efficient rigs that enable smooth character animation and enhance production workflows.

What is the difference between Animation Rigger Salary vs Character Animator Salary?

AspectAnimation Rigger SalaryCharacter Animator Salary
Average Annual Salary$60,000 - $85,000$55,000 - $80,000
Required Skills & Certifications3D rigging, software proficiency (Maya, Blender), technical skillsAnimation, storytelling, software proficiency (Maya, After Effects)
Work EnvironmentVFX studios, game development, animation companiesAnimation studios, game studios, film production

While both Animation Riggers and Character Animators work closely in the animation industry, riggers focus on creating the skeletal structures that enable characters to move, whereas animators bring characters to life through movement. Salary differences are generally modest, reflecting overlapping skills but distinct roles within the production pipeline.

What is the highest paying rigger job?

The highest paying rigger jobs are typically senior or lead rigging positions in large animation studios, film production companies, or AAA game development firms. These roles often require extensive experience, advanced skills in 3D software, and knowledge of complex character and object rigging, with salaries reaching six figures in some cases.

What does a rigger do in animation?

An animation rigger creates the skeletal structures and control systems that allow characters and objects to move realistically. They use specialized software to build rigs, which animators then manipulate to produce motion, ensuring proper deformation and functionality. Rigging requires knowledge of anatomy, rigging tools, and often scripting skills to streamline the process.
What job categories do people searching Animation Rigger Salary jobs in Texas look for? The top searched job categories for Animation Rigger Salary jobs in Texas are:
What cities in Texas are hiring for Animation Rigger Salary jobs? Cities in Texas with the most Animation Rigger Salary job openings:
Infographic showing various Animation Rigger Salary job openings in Texas as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 5% Internship, 69% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 69% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 28% Remote job distribution.
3D Artist

3D Artist

MARKETSCALE LLC

Dallas, TX • On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 23 days ago


Job description

MarketScale, the platform for B2B community engagement, is a hiring a 3D Artist to join our creative team. Located in Downtown Dallas, MarketScale has a high-energy culture that values continuous learning and relishes employee success. We are a community built around excellence, empowerment and the creative transmission of information and ideas.

Our 3D Artists create 3D product animation for incredible brands. As a 3D Artist at MarketScale we encourage you to be a storyteller, turning the 3D designs, into animations, finished with voiceover, music, and graphics, for marketing promotion.

If you like working with high tech, super cool products, in industries ranging from architecture to aerospace, this could be the opportunity for you to grow in your career and join the MarketScale community.

The ideal candidate has a background in 3D video production and can import 3D CAD files into Maya, set their scene by lighting and texturing the product, and then add animation to show how the product functions.

Job Duties:

  • Storyboarding
  • Texturing / Surfacing
  • Rigging
  • Animation
  • Editing

Requirements:

  • 3-5 years in 3D design and animation
  • Proficiencies in:
  • Maya
  • Redshift
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe Premiere Pro

Extra points if you know:

  • Substance Painter
  • Unreal Engine
  • Perforce

To be considered for this role, please include a link to your demo reel, website and work samples that you have completed from start to finish.

The 3D Artist position is a full-time role, with competitive salary, full employee medical benefits, 401K with matching, paid time off (PTO) and additional benefits upon one year of employment such as the MarketScale Adventure Program (MAP) enabling a full week of subsidized travel in addition to PTO, monthly reloaded rewards card and regular team building and networking events.

MarketScale is a media company. Therefore, operates on premise at our facility in Bank of America Plaza in Downtown Dallas, with clients visiting daily, on-premise video and podcast studios, and travels frequently to industry events, video productions and more. As a result, this is an in-office, on-the-move job opportunity, in person, and not a work from home position.

MarketScale helps many of the world’s leading enterprise companies start and manage their own media channels including podcasts, live broadcasts and events, original video productions and more. If you are looking to work in an inspiring, creative and entrepreneurial field, in a fast-growing company, apply today.

Get to know our MarketScale Community. Follow our MarketScale Community Instagram @marketscalecommunity where we document our culture and the fun day to day activities around the office.

MarketScale will never ask for wire information or payment during any employment or job discussion. If you receive outreach from someone claiming to be a hiring representative of MarketScale, confirm they represent MarketScale with authentic MarketScale communication channels, email and phone and reach out on MarketScale.com to confirm. All hiring decisions are made only after a video conference. If you have not had a video conference with MarketScale but have a job offer, it is not an authentic MarketScale job offer.