The TAG Wage Survey -- Preliminary Numbers

We're most of the way done crunching data on the Animation Guild's wage survey. Here's a first look at selected stats. (Please note that these include both union and non-union rates being paid this year):

Wages -- 2014



STAFF TV WRITERS



min: $1065.74

Median: $1984.38

Max: $3000.00



2013 median: $2202.50

Change: + $88.23





TV DIRECTORS



min: $1406.25

median: $2475.00

max: $4600.00



2013 median: $2500.00

change: -$25.00



STAFF PRODUCTION BOARD (t.v.)



min: $1000.00

median: $2000.00

max: $3307.50



2013 median: $2000.00

Change: $0.00



BACKGROUND LAYOUT/DESIGN



min: $1175.00

median: $1909.40

max: $5250.00



2013 median: $1943.20

change: -$33.80





LIGHTING



min: $1166.00

median: $1769.21

max: $2600.00



2013 median: $1913.16

change: -$143.95





3D ANIMATOR



min: $1200.00

median: $1967.58

max: $3100.00



2013 median: 1911.77

change: +$55.81 ...

A few more factoids for your perusing pleasure:



We had a return rate of 33% of wage survey forms, which is way above last year's returns, and the highest since the 1990s.



5.6% of the wage surveys came from members working at non-union studios.



25% of surveys came from three Disney divisions. (We got one form back from Pixar.)



20% of survey forms came from DreamWorks Animation's two divisions.



There were a number of entry level lighters who came into employment, which drove down the median lighting wage.



We'll have a more extensive breakdown when we've finished all the data mining. In the meantime, enjoy this first pass.



(Here's last year's complete survey. Kudos to Steve Kaplan, who took over the wage survey work from retired staffer Jeff Massie.)