The average wage for a filmmaker in the United States is around $8.78 per hour.
Avg Wage
Filmmakers earn an average hourly wage of $8.78.
Salaries typically start from $4.47 per hour and go up to $17.23 per hour.
68% below national average Updated in 2023
Filmmaker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$17.23 per hour
$35,841 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$12.52 per hour
$26,042 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$8.78 per hour
$18,262 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$6.16 per hour
$12,806 per year
10th percentile
Starting level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$4.47 per hour
$9,305 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Filmmaker 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 filmmaker salaries compare to similar careers?
Filmmakers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than announcers but more than craft artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Announcer salary | $27K |
| Museum conservator salary | $26K |
| Film and video editor salary | $26K |
| Makeup artist salary | $20K |
| Camera operator salary | $20K |
| Filmmaker salary | $18K |
| Model maker salary | $19K |
| Photographer salary | $12K |
| Craft artist salary | $5K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)