New research looks at UK animation industry compensation

Nonprofit org She Drew That collected data from more than 500 working professionals for its second annual salary report.
January 4, 2024

Men are still being paid more than women for the same animation industry work in the UK—especially when it comes to more senior positions. 

This is one of the main takeaways from an 11-page salary report that was published yesterday by She Drew That, a London-based org focused on promoting, supporting and developing the careers of women in the animation industry. It’s based on a survey looking at average annual salaries and day rates for more than 60 different animation roles. 

On average, female animators in the UK earn less than men in both 2D (US$45,752 versus US$47,481) and CG (US$51,678 versus US$58,373). Looking at the data more generally, the average salary for 2D animators is US$46,409, and CG animators came in at US$57,939. Meanwhile, animation producers earn US$58,711 on average. 

Only 48% of the survey’s respondents said their compensation was fair—even though more than half (56%) had received a salary increase in the last year. 

The report summarizes the industry’s main concerns into these five points: pay is low relative to experience and skills; workload is increasing; cost of living is outpacing pay increases; employer practices don’t prioritize employee wellbeing; and there’s a lack of salary transparency and opportunity to negotiate pay. 

She Drew That’s recommendations for addressing these challenges include creating university animation courses to teach salary negotiation skills. 

Data feeding into the 2023 salary report was collected between October to December, with a total of 504 responses received. Most of the participants currently live in the UK (79% in England, 10% in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and 11% elsewhere). 

Photo courtesy of Israel Andrade via Unsplash

About The Author
News editor for Kidscreen. Ryan covers tech, talent and general kids entertainment news, with a passion for kids rap content and video games. Have a story that's of interest to Kidscreen readers? Contact Ryan at rtuchow@brunico.com

Search

Menu

Brand Menu