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$10

$19

$37

How much do cartoon character design jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average hourly pay for cartoon character design in the United States is $19.08, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.46 and $24.28 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a typical day look like for a Cartoon Character Designer working on an animation team?

A typical day for a Cartoon Character Designer often involves brainstorming sessions with writers or directors, sketching new concepts, refining existing characters, and creating turnaround sheets or detailed model packs. Designers frequently review feedback from art directors or clients and revise their work to align with project requirements and style guides. Collaboration is key, as you'll work closely with animators, story artists, and other creatives to ensure characters function well in motion and fit the overall narrative. This role requires balancing creative autonomy with the ability to adapt designs based on collaborative input, making each day dynamic and varied.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Cartoon Character Design position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Cartoon Character Designer, you need strong drawing skills, creativity, and a solid understanding of anatomy, color theory, and animation principles, often supported by a relevant degree or portfolio. Proficiency with industry-standard digital illustration and animation tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Toon Boom, or Procreate is highly valued. Excellent communication, collaboration, and receptiveness to feedback help designers work well within creative teams and align with client or studio visions. Mastery of these skills ensures the creation of engaging, marketable characters that meet both artistic and commercial goals in animation and related media.

What is a Cartoon Character Design job?

A Cartoon Character Design job involves creating unique and visually appealing characters for animation, comics, video games, or marketing purposes. Designers develop characters by sketching concepts, defining personalities, and refining details like colors, expressions, and poses. They often collaborate with writers, animators, and directors to ensure characters fit the story and style requirements. This role requires creativity, strong drawing skills, and proficiency with digital illustration tools like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.

More about Cartoon Character Design jobs
What job categories do people searching Cartoon Character Design jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Cartoon Character Design jobs are:
Cartoon Character Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cartoon Character Design job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 16% Internship, 5% As Needed, 2% Full Time, 69% Temporary, 6% Nights, and 2% Summer. Highlights an 80% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,680 per year, or $19.1 per hour.
Graphic Artist - Specialized in Cartoon & Character Design

Graphic Artist - Specialized in Cartoon & Character Design

Quality Business Engineering

Aberdeen, MD • On-site

$136K - $163K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 28 days ago

Job description

Job Type
Full-time
Description
About QBE, LLC
QBE, LLC is a mission-focused technology and security solutions provider supporting defense and federal customers worldwide. We deliver high-impact capabilities where precision, accountability, and technical excellence directly support national-level objectives.
#qf #qg
QBE is seeking a Graphic Artist - Specialized in Cartoon & Character Design to support the IEW&S contract.
Responsibilities
Candidate shall provide specialized cartoon illustration and character design support to enhance visual storytelling for CPE IEW&S communication initiatives. Candidate shall demonstrate proficiency in digital illustration software and collaborate closely with public affairs, multimedia designers, and print production staff to ensure creative alignment and message clarity. Candidate's typical associated tasks include:
  • Develop original cartoon illustrations, character designs, and comic-style graphics to support public-facing and internal communication products across print and digital media.
  • Translate complex technical or operational content into engaging cartoon visuals that simplify messaging and increase audience comprehension.
  • Collaborate with the public affairs team and senior creatives to conceptualize cartoon-based campaigns, storyboards, and visual themes aligned with mission objectives.
  • Prepare artwork for integration into larger multimedia projects, including videos, infographics, social media content, and educational materials.
  • Ensure all cartoon-based products adhere to Army and CPE IEW&S branding, security, and communication guidelines while maintaining stylistic consistency across deliverables.

Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree - computer graphics, animation, fine arts or a related field
  • Minimum four years' (4) experience in the field of animation and design relevant experience required
  • OR Associates degree in the field of computer graphics, animation, fine arts or a related field and minimum seven (7) experience in the field of animation and design.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with team and other stakeholders

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement
QBE is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender-identity and/or expression, age, disability, Veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, or related medical conditions), marital status, neurodivergence, ethnicity, ancestry, caste, military/uniformed service-member status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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