SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-2012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $45,780 | $3,815 | $880 | $22.01 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $62,670 | $5,222 | $1,205 | $30.13 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $90,360 | $7,530 | $1,738 | $43.44 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $134,800 | $11,233 | $2,592 | $64.81 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $198,540 | $16,545 | $3,818 | $95.45 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Producers and Directors is $90,360, which is 77% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 5 by median pay. With 143,120 jobs, it makes up about 9.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($113,300) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Producers and Directors pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($129,790), New Jersey ($119,840) and New York ($107,550). The lowest was in Arkansas ($38,820), West Virginia ($46,660) and Mississippi ($48,100). The most jobs were in California (34,110), New York (27,990) and Florida (7,160). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 4.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 34,110 | $129,790 | $155,750 | $62.40 |
| New Jersey | 2,970 | $119,840 | $124,310 | $57.62 |
| New York | 27,990 | $107,550 | $134,810 | $51.71 |
| District of Columbia | 2,640 | $104,270 | $115,040 | $50.13 |
| Connecticut | 2,200 | $88,260 | $107,640 | $42.43 |
| Oregon | 1,640 | $87,460 | $95,710 | $42.05 |
| Rhode Island | 560 | $84,250 | $90,730 | $40.51 |
| Washington | 2,270 | $81,550 | $98,990 | $39.21 |
| Illinois | 3,170 | $81,080 | $95,920 | $38.98 |
| Massachusetts | 3,440 | $80,970 | $94,850 | $38.93 |
| Georgia | 5,010 | $79,950 | $103,280 | $38.44 |
| Florida | 7,160 | $79,920 | $95,330 | $38.42 |
| Maryland | 1,610 | $79,350 | $90,950 | $38.15 |
| Nevada | 1,630 | $78,480 | $93,070 | $37.73 |
| Colorado | 1,960 | $78,060 | $86,150 | $37.53 |
| Minnesota | 1,390 | $76,360 | $81,760 | $36.71 |
| Utah | 1,670 | $76,350 | $92,790 | $36.71 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,200 | $75,460 | $83,200 | $36.28 |
| Tennessee | 2,920 | $73,020 | $78,680 | $35.11 |
| Delaware | 150 | $72,650 | $110,780 | $34.93 |
| Texas | 6,610 | $71,710 | $85,080 | $34.48 |
| Maine | 400 | $71,320 | $85,650 | $34.29 |
| Ohio | 1,610 | $69,350 | $78,200 | $33.34 |
| Arizona | 1,720 | $67,320 | $94,670 | $32.36 |
| Missouri | 1,630 | $66,460 | $78,870 | $31.95 |
| Wisconsin | 1,600 | $66,390 | $79,780 | $31.92 |
| Hawaii | 510 | $66,190 | $74,520 | $31.82 |
| Virginia | 2,820 | $65,900 | $74,770 | $31.69 |
| Michigan | 2,310 | $65,720 | $79,620 | $31.60 |
| North Carolina | 3,500 | $63,700 | $75,170 | $30.62 |
| Alabama | 1,040 | $63,340 | $73,650 | $30.45 |
| Louisiana | 880 | $62,920 | $87,230 | $30.25 |
| Oklahoma | 770 | $61,600 | $70,320 | $29.61 |
| New Hampshire | 300 | $61,560 | $65,050 | $29.60 |
| Idaho | 380 | $61,150 | $69,860 | $29.40 |
| Kansas | 420 | $60,600 | $67,800 | $29.14 |
| Wyoming | 130 | $60,420 | $60,010 | $29.05 |
| South Dakota | 170 | $60,260 | $65,090 | $28.97 |
| Indiana | 1,480 | $59,870 | $64,940 | $28.79 |
| Iowa | 720 | $58,550 | $64,710 | $28.15 |
| North Dakota | 170 | $57,870 | $62,700 | $27.82 |
| South Carolina | 1,190 | $56,030 | $73,000 | $26.94 |
| Vermont | 290 | $55,660 | $70,180 | $26.76 |
| Kentucky | 950 | $54,550 | $61,920 | $26.23 |
| Alaska | 160 | $54,060 | $59,690 | $25.99 |
| Montana | 390 | $52,580 | $63,490 | $25.28 |
| Nebraska | 470 | $52,580 | $62,370 | $25.28 |
| Puerto Rico | 260 | $48,820 | $56,180 | $23.47 |
| Mississippi | 390 | $48,100 | $56,050 | $23.13 |
| West Virginia | 230 | $46,660 | $63,710 | $22.43 |
| Arkansas | 700 | $38,820 | $44,440 | $18.66 |
| New Mexico | 520 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Special Effects Artists and Animators$102,030 a year
- Musicians and Singers$47.80 an hour
- Technical Writers$90,390 a year
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$83,910 a year
- Fashion Designers$80,960 a year
- Editors$77,920 a year
Common questions
How much do Producers and Directors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $90,360 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,780 and the highest-paid 10% more than $198,540.
How many people work as Producers and Directors?
About 143,120 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
More in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Pay converter