Character Artist Salary (2026)
The median character artist in the games industry earns $90,428 per year with 6–10 years of experience (global, base salary in USD), with most offers falling between $79k and $102k.
Figures are based on 47+ anonymous community salary reports and public industry surveys, resolved per experience band. Rows marked model estimate have no direct survey data yet — submit your salary to improve them. See the methodology for how numbers are computed.
Salary by experience (global)
| Experience | Low | Median | High | Data source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $28,679 | $39,487 | $52,981 | Community datan=14 |
| 3–5 years | $38,434 | $47,922 | $57,410 | Community datan=20 |
| 6–10 years | $78,618 | $90,428 | $102,238 | Community datan=13 |
| 11–15 years | $81,032 | $101,291 | $126,613 | Industry report |
| 16+ years | $82,133 | $105,849 | $128,333 | Industry report |
Salary by region
Median base salary (USD) for the best-covered experience band per region — bands differ where coverage differs. US buying power converts that figure to what it buys locally (World Bank 2023 price levels, see methodology).
| Region | Median | Experience | Data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | $109,000 | 6–10 years | Community datan=5 |
| Rest of World | $95,000 | 6–10 years | Community datan=4 |
| Asia Pacific | $76,265 | 3–5 years | Industry report |
| United Kingdom · Western Europe · Nordic Countries · Eastern Europe | $62,641 | 6–10 years | Community datan=4 |
Open character artist jobs
Recent listings from games-industry job boards:
Sources used on this page
- Community data — public community salary datasets, individual reports shared with us, and anonymous submissions on this site (2018–2026).
- 8Bit Gamedev Salary Pulse 2026 — Games-industry recruitment agency salary report. Cited with permission.
- Skillsearch Games & Immersive Salary and Satisfaction Report 2026 — Annual survey by games recruitment agency Skillsearch. Cited with permission.