Motion Picture Projectionists
Motion Picture Projectionists (SOC 39-3021) earn a median $38,270 a year ($18.40 an hour) in the United States, with 1,480 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What motion picture projectionists do
Motion picture projectionists install and run the projectors and linked sound equipment that put films on screen. They adjust projectors and screens so the picture has the correct size, brightness, and focus and the sound has suitable volume and tone. Before a showing they check that the equipment works, then switch on the projectors and open the shutters, and while the film runs they keep an eye on picture and sound quality. Some run equipment that shows a film in several theaters at once, and some open and close the building on a schedule. Maintenance includes swapping out xenon lamps, cleaning projectors and lenses, oiling parts, and keeping electrical connections tight. They handle small repairs such as replacing worn sprockets and call maintenance staff for larger ones. Listed titles include booth operator, cinema operator, and digital projectionist.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 61 percent).
Also called: Booth Operator, Booth Usher, Cinema Operator, Cinema Projectionist, Cinematographer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $11.25 | $14.44 | $18.40 | $37.37 | $42.46 | $24.75 | 1,480 |
| Annual | $23,390 | $30,040 | $38,270 | $77,730 | $88,310 | $51,480 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where motion picture projectionists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.40 | $33.14 | $39.55 | $42.46 | $47.79 | $36.97 | 270 | 0.03 | 2.98 |
| Annual | $36,200 | $68,920 | $82,260 | $88,310 | $99,400 | $76,910 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $32.69 | $37.38 | $37.98 | $41.09 | $42.18 | $37.83 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $67,990 | $77,740 | $78,990 | $85,470 | $87,730 | $78,680 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.57 | $17.48 | $35.98 | $56.70 | $64.43 | $37.52 | 190 | 0.01 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $34,470 | $36,350 | $74,840 | $117,940 | $134,010 | $78,050 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.67 | $16.86 | $18.78 | $26.37 | $28.67 | $21.43 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $34,670 | $35,070 | $39,070 | $54,850 | $59,630 | $44,580 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $12.48 | $13.64 | $18.07 | $25.45 | $27.12 | $19.32 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $25,960 | $28,370 | $37,590 | $52,940 | $56,410 | $40,190 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.40 | $33.14 | $39.55 | $42.46 | $47.79 | $36.97 | 270 | 0.03 | 2.98 |
| Annual | $36,200 | $68,920 | $82,260 | $88,310 | $99,400 | $76,910 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.57 | $17.48 | $35.98 | $56.70 | $64.43 | $37.52 | 190 | 0.01 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $34,470 | $36,350 | $74,840 | $117,940 | $134,010 | $78,050 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $10.22 | $10.52 | $11.16 | $12.86 | $20.00 | $13.02 | 100 | 0.06 | 6.66 |
| Annual | $21,250 | $21,880 | $23,210 | $26,760 | $41,600 | $27,080 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $8.91 | $9.86 | $10.94 | $18.40 | $19.18 | $13.38 | 90 | 0.03 | 2.88 |
| Annual | $18,540 | $20,500 | $22,750 | $38,270 | $39,890 | $27,840 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.67 | $16.86 | $18.78 | $26.37 | $28.67 | $21.43 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $34,670 | $35,070 | $39,070 | $54,850 | $59,630 | $44,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.18 | $31.94 | $44.32 | $59.47 | $64.53 | $46.07 | 100 | 0.02 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $35,740 | $66,440 | $92,180 | $123,700 | $134,210 | $95,820 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $28.69 | $37.98 | $41.09 | $41.10 | $42.18 | $38.51 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $59,670 | $78,990 | $85,460 | $85,480 | $87,730 | $80,090 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.48 | $39.55 | $39.55 | $42.46 | $50.33 | $40.27 | 230 | 0.02 | 2.54 |
| Annual | $44,680 | $82,260 | $82,270 | $88,310 | $104,690 | $83,770 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.48 | $39.55 | $39.55 | $42.46 | $50.33 | $40.27 | 230 | 0.02 | 2.54 |
| Annual | $44,680 | $82,260 | $82,270 | $88,310 | $104,690 | $83,770 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.18 | $31.94 | $44.32 | $59.47 | $64.53 | $46.07 | 100 | 0.02 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $35,740 | $66,440 | $92,180 | $123,700 | $134,210 | $95,820 | ||||
Top industries employing motion picture projectionists
Motion Picture and Video Industries employ 69.6% of motion picture projectionists nationally (1,030 jobs) at a median $34,320 a year ($16.50 an hour), followed by Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (6.8%) and Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (5.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 1,030 | 69.6% | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events NAICS 711300 | 100 | 6.8% | $88,300 | $42.45 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions NAICS 712100 | 80 | 5.4% | $70,190 | $33.75 |
| Performing Arts Companies NAICS 711100 | 60 | 4.1% | $46,790 | $22.49 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,480). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,350 for motion picture projectionists in May 2021 and $38,270 in May 2025, with employment of 1,620 and 1,480.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,350 | $14.11 | 1,620 |
| May 2022 | $33,360 | $16.04 | 1,900 |
| May 2023 | $35,160 | $16.90 | 2,610 |
| May 2024 | $38,180 | $18.35 | 1,950 |
| May 2025 | $38,270 | $18.40 | 1,480 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
12 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $39.55 | $82,260 | $36,200 | $99,400 | 270 | 0.03 | 2.98 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $37.98 | $78,990 | $67,990 | $87,730 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | California profile | $35.98 | $74,840 | $34,470 | $134,010 | 190 | 0.01 | 1.09 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $18.78 | $39,070 | $34,670 | $59,630 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.64 |
| 5 | Michigan profile | $18.07 | $37,590 | $25,960 | $56,410 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Ohio profile | $17.73 | $36,870 | $23,460 | $46,620 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Arizona profile | $15.81 | $32,890 | $30,580 | $53,580 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Texas profile | $14.98 | $31,160 | $26,470 | $37,740 | 40 | 0.00 | 0.31 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania profile | $14.35 | $29,850 | $23,580 | $34,550 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.73 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $14.01 | $29,140 | $28,600 | $40,610 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Iowa profile | $11.16 | $23,210 | $21,250 | $41,600 | 100 | 0.06 | 6.66 |
| 12 | Tennessee profile | $10.94 | $22,750 | $18,540 | $39,890 | 90 | 0.03 | 2.88 |
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-3021 Motion Picture Projectionists.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-3021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-3021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.