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Artist, Graphic Artist, Motion Graphics Artist, Rigger, Storyboard Artist, Visual Effects (VFX) Artist
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Animators work on visual productions such as short and feature-length films, television series, educational films, commercials, presentations and computer games. They may work independently or as part of a small team of animators on projects of their own creation, or they may work in the feature film, computer game or television departments of large animation studios.
Animators working on their own films:
Animators in large studios follow a director's guidelines and work only on specified parts of a production. In general:
Animators may specialize in one or more of the following types of animation:
They also may specialize in techniques such as:
Animators usually specialize in 2-dimensional (2D) or 3-dimensional (3D) animation. 2D animation is an evolution of traditional cell or character animation, and may employ a wide variety of art materials and styles. 3D animation often is created with computer programs that add gravity, texture and other realistic effects.
Animators often sit for long periods of time, but to understand the movement they are creating, may regularly get up to act out their characters in front of colleagues, a mirror or a video recorder. They work under the pressure of constant deadlines, production delays and other challenges; 60-hour workweeks are not uncommon.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Click or tap a personality type for its description.
Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.
To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Graphic designers
2023 OaSIS: 52120.01
The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.
The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.
The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.
To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.
Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.
This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:
Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.
This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:
Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:
Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:
Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking.
This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:
Animators need:
Many animators work on a freelance or contract basis and therefore must be able to:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 109 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 30, 2024 and Oct 08, 2025.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Prepare sketches, layouts and graphic elements | 92 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Estimate costs of materials and time to complete graphic designs and illustrations | 91 |
| Tasks: Develop the graphic elements that meet the clients' objectives | 74 |
| Tasks: Consult with clients to establish the overall look, graphic elements and content of communications materials | 72 |
| Attention to detail | 69 |
| Tasks: Co-ordinate all aspects of production for print, audio-visual or electronic materials | 67 |
| Tasks: Consult with clients to determine the nature and content of illustrations in order to meet their communications needs | 67 |
| Tasks: Use existing photo and illustration banks and typography guides | 63 |
| Tasks: Determine the medium best suited to produce the desired visual effect and the most appropriate vehicle for communication | 61 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 57 |
Animators are hired on the basis of:
Animators, including computer animators, need fine art or graphic design training at the post-secondary level.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
In Calgary, the Quickdraw Animation Society (QAS) offers regular courses on various media and occasional workshops on special topics.
Before enrolling in a program, aspiring animators should discuss their training options with potential employers. Some major animation studios offer their own in-house training programs.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Many animators start by taking a course from their local university or college. Some are then able to go on to apprentice at local production studios. Others seek out workshops and projects at film and video co-operatives.
Almost all animation work is freelance, paid on a contract basis. Most opportunities for animation work are found in larger cities where there is a lot of film, television and video game production, such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Many professional animators travel from city to city, working on short-term contracts. Remote work-from-home options may become more common in future for this occupation.
Animators may work for:
A growing number of animators work with teams involved in designing video games and learning media.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Graphic designers and illustrators
2016 NOC: 5241
79.6% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the Alberta job market condition, or short-term demand forecast, for this occupation over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
In Canada, animators negotiate each contract separately. Incomes can vary greatly from one animator to another, and from one year to another. Many animators must supplement their income with other work, such as teaching, illustration or camera work.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $16.00 | $44.34 | $26.77 | $22.84 |
| Overall | $19.84 | $48.36 | $30.51 | $26.65 |
| Top | $21.50 | $61.18 | $34.49 | $30.27 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $58,347 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | $52,436 |
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $50,769 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $64,153 |
| Public Administration | $69,898 |
Digital Alberta website: digitalalberta.com
Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) website: www.digra.org
Quickdraw Animation Society (QAS) website: quickdrawanimation.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2025. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
