Official minimum Union floor for a journey-level storyboard artist
$65.55/hr
About $136,344 a year at full time (TAG master agreement, 8/2/26-7/31/27). Rate pending our check against the PDF.
Self-reported What people report by studio (studios with 3+ entries):
What this means for you
- At a TAG master-agreement studio, a journey storyboard artist can't legally be paid under $65.55/hr.
- Some studios (like Sony) have their own contract with different steps. Check the studio page.
- Freelance and non-union work often pays much less. See the union gap on the Pay home page.
See all numbers
Official minimum TAG master scale (21-022)
| Step | Hourly | Per year | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 6 months | $61.80/hr | $128,544/yr | 8/2/26-7/31/27 (3rd col; verify) | |
| Journey | $65.55/hr | $136,344/yr | 8/2/26-7/31/27 (3rd col; verify) |
Posted range Job postings
| Studio | Title | Location | Range | Captured | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Animation | Story Artist - Feature | Los Angeles, California, United States | $53.37/hr – $80.00/hr | 2026-10-15 | Posting |
low sample
Self-reported Self-reported (n=45, median $126,880/yr, 2022–2025)
| Studio | n | Average | Median | Years | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (not stated) | 13 | $120,321/yr | $124,000/yr | 2022 | |
| Nickelodeon | 11 | $127,865/yr | $130,000/yr | 2022–2023 | |
| DreamWorks | 5 | $117,402/yr | $143,000/yr | 2022 | |
| Disney Animation | 3 | $151,800/yr | $149,000/yr | 2022 | |
| Floyd County Productions | 1 | $58,240/yr | $58,240/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Disney subsidiary | 1 | $110,000/yr | $110,000/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| WB | 1 | $135,200/yr | $135,200/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Stoopid Buddy Stoodios | 1 | $41,600/yr | $41,600/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Marvel Studios | 1 | $145,600/yr | $145,600/yr | 2023 | low sample |
| Netflix | 1 | $144,560/yr | $144,560/yr | 2024 | low sample |
| ShadowMachine | 1 | $127,130/yr | $127,130/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| WB Animation | 1 | $83,824/yr | $83,824/yr | 2025 | low sample |
| Skydance Animation | 1 | $114,400/yr | $114,400/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Titmouse | 1 | $93,600/yr | $93,600/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Freelance (no studio) | 1 | $33,800/yr | $33,800/yr | 2024 | low sample |
| Gaumont Animation | 1 | $97,032/yr | $97,032/yr | 2022 | low sample |
| Oddbot | 1 | $134,836/yr | $134,836/yr | 2023 | low sample |
Source: SaltyAnimators sheet. Annualized at 2,080 hrs.
New pay data and new grants, every week.
Free. One email a week, nothing else. Unsubscribe anytime.