Actors salary
Data unavailable BLS does not publish annual wage estimates for this occupation; the national median hourly wage is $29.05.
Actors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 30 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Data unavailable | 150 | 0.2 | ||
| Arizona | Data unavailable | 380 | 0.33 | ||
| Arkansas | Data unavailable | 70 | 0.15 | ||
| California | Data unavailable | 26,170 | 4.06 | ||
| Colorado | Data unavailable | 200 | 0.2 | ||
| Connecticut | Data unavailable | 180 | 0.3 | ||
| Florida | Data unavailable | 6,400 | 1.82 | ||
| Georgia | Data unavailable | 1,520 | 0.88 | ||
| Illinois | Data unavailable | 1,060 | 0.49 | ||
| Indiana | Data unavailable | 510 | 0.45 | ||
| Kentucky | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.13 | ||
| Maryland | Data unavailable | 520 | 0.53 | ||
| Massachusetts | Data unavailable | 660 | 0.51 | ||
| Michigan | Data unavailable | 150 | 0.09 | ||
| Minnesota | Data unavailable | 520 | 0.49 | ||
| Mississippi | Data unavailable | 80 | 0.18 | ||
| Missouri | Data unavailable | 450 | 0.44 | ||
| Montana | Data unavailable | 70 | 0.41 | ||
| Nevada | Data unavailable | 790 | 1.45 | ||
| New Jersey | Data unavailable | 470 | 0.31 | ||
| New York | Data unavailable | 6,630 | 1.94 | ||
| North Carolina | Data unavailable | 730 | 0.42 | ||
| Ohio | Data unavailable | 170 | 0.08 | ||
| Oregon | Data unavailable | 470 | 0.68 | ||
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 890 | 0.41 | ||
| South Carolina | Data unavailable | 140 | 0.17 | ||
| Tennessee | Data unavailable | 370 | 0.32 | ||
| Texas | Data unavailable | 2,160 | 0.43 | ||
| Utah | Data unavailable | 630 | 1.03 | ||
| Wisconsin | Data unavailable | 260 | 0.25 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for actors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 6,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 23%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for actors
- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General CIP 50.0501
- Acting CIP 50.0506
- Directing and Theatrical Production CIP 50.0507
- Musical Theatre CIP 50.0509
- Comedy Writing and Performance CIP 50.0511
- Theatre and Dance CIP 50.0512
- Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other CIP 50.0599
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Attend auditions and casting calls to audition for roles.
- Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
- Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
- Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
- Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
- Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.
- Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
- Read from scripts or books to narrate action or to inform or entertain audiences, utilizing few or no stage props.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- TikTok (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Email software
- FileMaker Pro
- Motion capture software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Actress, Comedian, Community Theater Actor, Entertainer, Film Actor, Motion Capture Actor, Role Player, Tour Actor, Voice Actor, Voice-Over Artist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
What education do actors need?
BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is actors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of actors to change 0.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 6,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.