Producers and Directors
Producers and Directors (SOC 27-2012) earn a median $90,360 a year ($43.44 an hour) in the United States, with 143,120 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What producers and directors do
Producers and directors produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions that entertain, inform, or instruct, and they make the creative decisions: how to interpret the script, whom to cast as actors or guests, and how to handle set design, sound, special effects, and choreography. They plan framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement, tell actors the approach, characterization, and movement each scene needs, and study scripts to decide how to direct them. They direct live broadcasts, films, and recordings, supervise and coordinate camera, lighting, design, and sound crew members, and confer with technical directors, managers, crew, and writers about photography, script, music, sets, and costumes. They also research production topics and review film, recordings, or rehearsals to confirm they meet production and broadcast standards. Alternate titles include casting director, broadcast news producer, and animation director. Actors are counted in a separate occupation.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Animation Director, Animation Producer, Art Framing Manager, Artistic Director, Broadcast News Producer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.01 | $30.13 | $43.44 | $64.81 | $95.45 | $54.47 | 143,120 |
| Annual | $45,780 | $62,670 | $90,360 | $134,800 | $198,540 | $113,300 | ||
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 producers and directors 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.56 | $39.96 | $62.40 | $82.89 | $147.52 | $74.88 | 34,110 | 1.87 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $63,570 | $83,110 | $129,790 | $172,410 | $306,850 | $155,750 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $29.96 | $37.56 | $57.62 | $77.67 | $99.41 | $59.77 | 2,970 | 0.69 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $62,310 | $78,120 | $119,840 | $161,550 | $206,770 | $124,310 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $29.79 | $38.32 | $51.71 | $81.37 | $107.01 | $64.81 | 27,990 | 2.89 | 3.14 |
| Annual | $61,960 | $79,700 | $107,550 | $169,260 | $222,580 | $134,810 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $33.30 | $39.70 | $50.13 | $64.03 | $81.96 | $55.31 | 2,640 | 3.76 | 4.09 |
| Annual | $69,260 | $82,580 | $104,270 | $133,180 | $170,490 | $115,040 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $24.02 | $30.30 | $42.43 | $66.75 | $85.52 | $51.75 | 2,200 | 1.30 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $49,960 | $63,030 | $88,260 | $138,850 | $177,870 | $107,640 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.56 | $39.96 | $62.40 | $82.89 | $147.52 | $74.88 | 34,110 | 1.87 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $63,570 | $83,110 | $129,790 | $172,410 | $306,850 | $155,750 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $29.79 | $38.32 | $51.71 | $81.37 | $107.01 | $64.81 | 27,990 | 2.89 | 3.14 |
| Annual | $61,960 | $79,700 | $107,550 | $169,260 | $222,580 | $134,810 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $22.34 | $29.98 | $38.42 | $52.73 | $78.89 | $45.83 | 7,160 | 0.72 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $46,460 | $62,360 | $79,920 | $109,670 | $164,090 | $95,330 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $19.53 | $23.57 | $34.48 | $47.64 | $70.36 | $40.90 | 6,610 | 0.47 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $40,610 | $49,020 | $71,710 | $99,100 | $146,340 | $85,080 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $24.30 | $31.03 | $38.44 | $60.47 | $81.12 | $49.65 | 5,010 | 1.02 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $50,540 | $64,540 | $79,950 | $125,780 | $168,740 | $103,280 | ||||
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 | $30.61 | $39.88 | $63.27 | $82.96 | $156.40 | $76.63 | 21,910 | 3.49 | 3.80 |
| Annual | $63,660 | $82,960 | $131,600 | $172,570 | $325,310 | $159,390 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $34.46 | $46.24 | $62.81 | $90.38 | $138.61 | $75.91 | 5,030 | 2.12 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $71,670 | $96,170 | $130,640 | $187,990 | $288,300 | $157,900 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $29.36 | $37.61 | $52.98 | $73.37 | $92.70 | $55.81 | 190 | 0.78 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $61,060 | $78,230 | $110,190 | $152,610 | $192,820 | $116,080 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $30.59 | $38.92 | $52.15 | $81.73 | $107.01 | $65.93 | 27,020 | 2.85 | 3.09 |
| Annual | $63,620 | $80,960 | $108,460 | $169,990 | $222,580 | $137,130 | ||||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | Hourly | $30.30 | $30.30 | $49.20 | $66.85 | $85.52 | $56.09 | 860 | 5.34 | 5.80 |
| Annual | $63,030 | $63,030 | $102,340 | $139,040 | $177,870 | $116,670 | ||||
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 | $30.59 | $38.92 | $52.15 | $81.73 | $107.01 | $65.93 | 27,020 | 2.85 | 3.09 |
| Annual | $63,620 | $80,960 | $108,460 | $169,990 | $222,580 | $137,130 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.61 | $39.88 | $63.27 | $82.96 | $156.40 | $76.63 | 21,910 | 3.49 | 3.80 |
| Annual | $63,660 | $82,960 | $131,600 | $172,570 | $325,310 | $159,390 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $34.46 | $46.24 | $62.81 | $90.38 | $138.61 | $75.91 | 5,030 | 2.12 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $71,670 | $96,170 | $130,640 | $187,990 | $288,300 | $157,900 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $27.75 | $37.78 | $48.21 | $61.49 | $76.58 | $50.93 | 4,230 | 1.35 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $57,720 | $78,580 | $100,270 | $127,890 | $159,290 | $105,940 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $26.42 | $31.56 | $38.44 | $59.38 | $80.18 | $49.62 | 3,840 | 1.33 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $54,940 | $65,650 | $79,950 | $123,520 | $166,770 | $103,200 | ||||
Top industries employing producers and directors
Motion Picture and Video Industries employ 26.3% of producers and directors nationally (37,700 jobs) at a median $105,300 a year ($50.63 an hour), followed by Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (16.1%) and Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (13.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 37,700 | 26.3% | $105,300 | $50.63 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers NAICS 516200 | 23,000 | 16.1% | $98,520 | $47.36 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations NAICS 516100 | 18,570 | 13.0% | $62,600 | $30.10 |
| Performing Arts Companies NAICS 711100 | 8,270 | 5.8% | $61,740 | $29.69 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 8,240 | 5.8% | $108,610 | $52.22 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (143,120). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $79,000 for producers and directors in May 2021 and $90,360 in May 2025, with employment of 138,250 and 143,120.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $79,000 | $37.98 | 138,250 |
| May 2022 | $85,320 | $41.02 | 153,770 |
| May 2023 | $82,510 | $39.67 | 154,470 |
| May 2024 | $83,480 | $40.13 | 145,270 |
| May 2025 | $90,360 | $43.44 | 143,120 |
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
51 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 | California profile | $62.40 | $129,790 | $63,570 | $306,850 | 34,110 | 1.87 | 2.03 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $57.62 | $119,840 | $62,310 | $206,770 | 2,970 | 0.69 | 0.75 |
| 3 | New York profile | $51.71 | $107,550 | $61,960 | $222,580 | 27,990 | 2.89 | 3.14 |
| 4 | District of Columbia profile | $50.13 | $104,270 | $69,260 | $170,490 | 2,640 | 3.76 | 4.09 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $42.43 | $88,260 | $49,960 | $177,870 | 2,200 | 1.30 | 1.41 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $42.05 | $87,460 | $49,350 | $143,490 | 1,640 | 0.83 | 0.91 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $40.51 | $84,250 | $43,090 | $136,360 | 560 | 1.11 | 1.20 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $39.21 | $81,550 | $47,810 | $167,760 | 2,270 | 0.64 | 0.69 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $38.98 | $81,080 | $41,250 | $169,040 | 3,170 | 0.52 | 0.56 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $38.93 | $80,970 | $45,820 | $150,140 | 3,440 | 0.95 | 1.03 |
| 11 | Georgia profile | $38.44 | $79,950 | $50,540 | $168,740 | 5,010 | 1.02 | 1.11 |
| 12 | Florida profile | $38.42 | $79,920 | $46,460 | $164,090 | 7,160 | 0.72 | 0.78 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $38.15 | $79,350 | $43,740 | $148,700 | 1,610 | 0.58 | 0.63 |
| 14 | Nevada profile | $37.73 | $78,480 | $38,420 | $164,900 | 1,630 | 1.05 | 1.14 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $37.53 | $78,060 | $45,730 | $134,670 | 1,960 | 0.68 | 0.74 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $36.71 | $76,360 | $39,800 | $130,750 | 1,390 | 0.47 | 0.51 |
| 17 | Utah profile | $36.71 | $76,350 | $36,500 | $168,140 | 1,670 | 0.96 | 1.04 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania profile | $36.28 | $75,460 | $40,700 | $130,560 | 4,200 | 0.69 | 0.75 |
| 19 | Tennessee profile | $35.11 | $73,020 | $36,120 | $132,610 | 2,920 | 0.89 | 0.97 |
| 20 | Delaware profile | $34.93 | $72,650 | $50,420 | $238,670 | 150 | 0.30 | 0.33 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $34.48 | $71,710 | $40,610 | $146,340 | 6,610 | 0.47 | 0.51 |
| 22 | Maine profile | $34.29 | $71,320 | $44,000 | $138,230 | 400 | 0.62 | 0.67 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $33.34 | $69,350 | $44,950 | $122,450 | 1,610 | 0.29 | 0.31 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $32.36 | $67,320 | $36,260 | $208,990 | 1,720 | 0.53 | 0.58 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $31.95 | $66,460 | $37,610 | $124,130 | 1,630 | 0.56 | 0.60 |
| 26 | Wisconsin profile | $31.92 | $66,390 | $38,680 | $130,050 | 1,600 | 0.54 | 0.59 |
| 27 | Hawaii profile | $31.82 | $66,190 | $44,230 | $131,490 | 510 | 0.81 | 0.88 |
| 28 | Virginia profile | $31.69 | $65,900 | $40,780 | $119,090 | 2,820 | 0.69 | 0.75 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $31.60 | $65,720 | $38,500 | $122,220 | 2,310 | 0.53 | 0.57 |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | $30.62 | $63,700 | $34,120 | $133,170 | 3,500 | 0.71 | 0.77 |
| 31 | Alabama profile | $30.45 | $63,340 | $39,340 | $107,890 | 1,040 | 0.49 | 0.53 |
| 32 | Louisiana profile | $30.25 | $62,920 | $35,750 | $150,220 | 880 | 0.45 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Oklahoma profile | $29.61 | $61,600 | $38,220 | $102,800 | 770 | 0.45 | 0.49 |
| 34 | New Hampshire profile | $29.60 | $61,560 | $26,560 | $96,560 | 300 | 0.45 | 0.48 |
| 35 | Idaho profile | $29.40 | $61,150 | $38,400 | $128,260 | 380 | 0.44 | 0.48 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $29.14 | $60,600 | $36,260 | $113,050 | 420 | 0.29 | 0.31 |
| 37 | Wyoming profile | $29.05 | $60,420 | $36,850 | $85,090 | 130 | 0.45 | 0.49 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | $28.97 | $60,260 | $38,140 | $109,180 | 170 | 0.36 | 0.39 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $28.79 | $59,870 | $37,040 | $96,100 | 1,480 | 0.46 | 0.50 |
| 40 | Iowa profile | $28.15 | $58,550 | $36,900 | $101,230 | 720 | 0.46 | 0.50 |
| 41 | North Dakota profile | $27.82 | $57,870 | $37,970 | $97,300 | 170 | 0.39 | 0.43 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $26.94 | $56,030 | $38,760 | $136,360 | 1,190 | 0.52 | 0.56 |
| 43 | Vermont profile | $26.76 | $55,660 | $45,180 | $106,760 | 290 | 0.96 | 1.04 |
| 44 | Kentucky profile | $26.23 | $54,550 | $35,860 | $95,970 | 950 | 0.48 | 0.52 |
| 45 | Alaska profile | $25.99 | $54,060 | $41,600 | $82,890 | 160 | 0.49 | 0.54 |
| 46 | Montana profile | $25.28 | $52,580 | $32,570 | $98,820 | 390 | 0.76 | 0.83 |
| 47 | Nebraska profile | $25.28 | $52,580 | $33,750 | $101,070 | 470 | 0.46 | 0.49 |
| 48 | Mississippi profile | $23.13 | $48,100 | $27,230 | $84,010 | 390 | 0.33 | 0.36 |
| 49 | West Virginia profile | $22.43 | $46,660 | $35,700 | $124,880 | 230 | 0.32 | 0.35 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $18.66 | $38,820 | $24,090 | $76,110 | 700 | 0.53 | 0.58 |
| – | New Mexico profile | * | * | * | * | 520 | 0.60 | 0.65 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-2010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 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 27-2012 Producers and Directors.
*- Wage 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 27-2012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-2012.00, 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.