Film director earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level film director earnings begin at:

$39.88 per hour

$82,950 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level film director earnings begin at:

$33.85 per hour

$70,400 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level film director earnings begin at:

$28.31 per hour

$58,890 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level film director earnings begin at:

$18.64 per hour

$38,760 per year

10th percentile

Starting level film director earnings begin at:

$17.25 per hour

$35,880 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Film director salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New York $99,240
Connecticut $82,470
District of Columbia $80,790
Massachusetts $78,630
Maryland $78,510
New Jersey $77,860
Rhode Island $77,450
Oregon $73,250
Washington $72,600
Nevada $64,430
Virginia $63,700
New Hampshire $63,320
Colorado $63,300
Florida $62,990
Minnesota $62,340
Pennsylvania $62,340
Tennessee $62,080
Georgia $62,070
North Carolina $61,920
Illinois $60,820
Utah $60,820
Ohio $59,920
Texas $59,550
South Carolina $58,890
Arkansas $58,350
Wisconsin $55,120
Missouri $53,980
Arizona $50,500
Nebraska $50,460
Delaware $50,250
Kansas $50,050
Montana $49,790
Alaska $49,600
Wyoming $49,600
Indiana $49,390
South Dakota $49,320
Vermont $49,260
Michigan $49,240
Hawaii $49,070
Alabama $48,890
North Dakota $48,790
Kentucky $48,600
Mississippi $48,130
Iowa $47,630
Idaho $47,480
Maine $46,290
West Virginia $44,970
Louisiana $43,540
Oklahoma $42,680
Puerto Rico $36,590
California $107,280
New Mexico $100,640

How do film director salaries compare to similar careers?

Film directors earn 12% less than similar careers in South Carolina. On average, they make less than art directors but more than announcers.

Career Median Salary
Art director salary $78K
Architect salary $78K
Industrial designer salary $77K
Fashion designer salary $46K
Film producer salary $59K
Filmmaker salary $59K
Film director salary $59K
Casting director salary $59K
Announcer salary $38K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)