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Animator Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Salem, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Virginia Beach, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Blacksburg, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Richmond, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Fairfax, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Leesburg, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Varsity Tutors

Blender Tutor

Alexandria, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

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All JobsAnimator JobsAnimator Jobs in Virginia

Animator information

See Virginia salary details

$10

$39

$69

How much do animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for animator in Virginia is $39.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.68 and $63.41 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What jobs can animators get?

Animators can work in various fields such as film, television, video game development, advertising, and web design. They create animated content using tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender and often collaborate with directors, designers, and clients to produce visual storytelling. Many animators also pursue roles in character design, storyboarding, and visual effects production.

Are animators still in demand?

Animator roles continue to be in demand in industries such as entertainment, advertising, and gaming, especially for those skilled in digital tools like Adobe Animate or Maya. The job market favors candidates with strong portfolios, technical proficiency, and adaptability to new animation technologies.

Is animator a well paying job?

Animator salaries vary based on experience, location, and industry, but generally, the median annual wage is above the national average for all occupations. Skilled animators with proficiency in industry-standard tools like Maya or Adobe After Effects and a strong portfolio tend to earn higher salaries, especially in entertainment, advertising, or gaming sectors.

What does an animator do?

An animator is a creative professional who designs and creates moving images for films, television, video games, and other forms of media. They use computer software or traditional hand-drawn techniques to bring characters, objects, and scenes to life. Animators often work closely with other artists, directors, and writers to ensure their animations fit the vision of a project. Their work involves storyboarding, character design, and creating sequences that convey emotion and action. Attention to detail and a strong understanding of movement are essential skills for animators.

What is the difference between Animator vs 3D Modeler?

AspectAnimator3D Modeler
Required CredentialsAnimation courses, portfolio3D modeling courses, portfolio
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, game companiesDesign studios, game development
Industry UsageBrings characters to life through movementCreates 3D assets and models

While both roles work closely in the animation and gaming industries, an Animator focuses on bringing characters and objects to life through movement, whereas a 3D Modeler specializes in creating the detailed 3D models used in animations and games. Both require similar technical skills and often collaborate on projects, but their core responsibilities differ significantly.

What jobs are there for animators?

Animators can work in various fields including film and television production, video game development, advertising, and web design. They create visual effects, character animations, and storyboards using tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender, often working in studios or freelance settings. Many roles require a strong portfolio and proficiency in animation software.

What are some typical challenges animators face when working on collaborative projects?

Animators often collaborate with teams of artists, directors, and sound designers, which can present challenges such as maintaining consistent visual style and meeting tight production deadlines. Communication is key, as feedback and revisions are frequent, requiring adaptability and strong interpersonal skills. Additionally, animators need to be proficient in various software and workflows to ensure their work integrates smoothly with other departments, such as modeling or lighting. Balancing creative vision with technical requirements is a common aspect of the role.

What Do Animators Do?

Animators create moving images for television, movies, video games, websites, multimedia platforms, and other forms of media. As an animator, your duties are to design illustrations to match characters and settings described in scripts. Sometimes an animator comes up with a new character before developing a script or role for it, while other times animators work closely with writers to collaborate on character development. After the creation stage, your responsibilities shift to rendering the image for whatever medium you work in, such as feature-length computer animated films or short graphic descriptions of news for an online magazine.

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

To thrive as an Animator, you need strong artistic ability, a solid understanding of motion, timing, and storytelling, often supported by a degree in animation or a related field. Proficiency in animation software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, or Blender, and familiarity with digital drawing tablets are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help animators collaborate well and bring ideas to life. These skills are vital for producing high-quality, engaging animations that meet project goals and client expectations.
More about Animator jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Animator jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Animator jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Animator jobs in Virginia? For Animator jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Animator jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Animator jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Animator jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Animator job openings:
Animator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animator job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Contract. Highlights an 100% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,271 per year, or $39.1 per hour.
Adjunct Faculty - Animation and Motion Design

Adjunct Faculty - Animation and Motion Design

Regent University

Virginia Beach, VA

$100/hr

Other

Re-posted 8 days ago

Regent University rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

228th of 555 rated colleges and universities

Job description

Adjunct Faculty - Animation and Motion Design

Apply now Job no: 50000453
Work type: Part time
Location: Virginia Beach
Categories: Faculty & Adjunct, School of Communications & the Arts

The Department of Film & Media Arts at Regent University's School of Communication and the Arts invites applications from experienced animation and digital media professionals to join our adjunct faculty. We are building a pool of skilled instructors and will select candidates whose backgrounds best serve our students, so whatever your area of expertise within the craft, we encourage you to apply.

Disciplines and Delivery Formats

Teaching opportunities are available at the undergraduate level, at Regent's campus in Virginia Beach on-campus. We are actively seeking instructors with professional experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • 2D & 3D Animation
  • Character Animation
  • Storyboarding & Visual Development
  • Motion Design
  • Compositing
  • Visual Effects (VFX)
  • Digital Modeling, Texturing, and Look Development
  • Lighting and Rendering
  • Animation Pre-Production and Pipeline Development
  • Cinematography for Animation
  • Editing and Post-Production
  • Visual Storytelling and Narrative Development
  • Interactive Media and Emerging Technologies
Whether your background is in feature animation, television animation, motion graphics, commercial production, visual effects, game cinematics, virtual production, or a combination of these fields, we want to hear from you. We value depth of industry experience and a genuine passion for mentoring the next generation of Christian storytellers.

Expectations include 1) a dedication to Christ-centered teaching and learning; 2) a record of or potential for academic scholarship; 3) the ability to teach undergraduate-level courses; 4) facility with online instructional technology; and 5) a willingness to embrace the College and University Identity and Mission statements and subscribe to a statement of Christian faith.

Salary: $100/credit hour/student up to $3,000 per course

Please submit your CV, a brief statement of teaching philosophy, and any relevant professional credits along with your application.

Regent University does not discriminate in employment in its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status. For full Non-Discrimination Policy click here.

Benefits

Not eligible for benefits

#LI-DNI

Advertised: 08 Jun 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 08 Jun 2027 Eastern Daylight Time

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