The average wage for a filmmaker in California is around $51.58 per hour.
Avg Wage
Filmmakers earn an average hourly wage of $51.58.
Salaries typically start from $26.39 per hour.
76% above national average Updated in 2021
Filmmaker earnings by seniority
75th percentile
Senior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$95.48 per hour
$198,600 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$51.58 per hour
$107,280 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$37.08 per hour
$77,120 per year
10th percentile
Starting level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$26.39 per hour
$54,890 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 California. On average, they make less than film producers but more than makeup artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film producer salary | $107K |
| Filmmaker salary | $107K |
| Casting director salary | $107K |
| Film director salary | $107K |
| Makeup artist salary | $164K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)