Filmmaker earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$60.19 per hour

$125,200 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$42.28 per hour

$87,940 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$35.21 per hour

$73,250 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$23.85 per hour

$49,610 per year

10th percentile

Starting level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$18.63 per hour

$38,750 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 Oregon. On average, they make less than talent agents but more than art therapists.

Career Median Salary
Talent agent salary $64K
Industrial designer salary $81K
Architect salary $79K
Television writer salary $63K
Exhibit designer salary $80K
Film director salary $73K
Filmmaker salary $73K
Film producer salary $73K
Casting director salary $73K
Art therapist salary $60K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)