The average wage for a film director in the United States is around $36.19 per hour.
Avg Wage
Film directors earn an average hourly wage of $36.19.
Salaries typically start from $17.25 per hour and go up to $75.91 per hour.
34% above national average Updated in 2019
Film director earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level film director earnings begin at:
$75.91 per hour
$157,896 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level film director earnings begin at:
$53.45 per hour
$111,168 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level film director earnings begin at:
$36.19 per hour
$75,277 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level film director earnings begin at:
$24.51 per hour
$50,974 per year
10th percentile
Starting level film director earnings begin at:
$17.25 per hour
$35,889 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Film director salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $97,550 |
| New York | $96,590 |
| District of Columbia | $82,150 |
| New Jersey | $75,830 |
| Maryland | $75,620 |
| Georgia | $73,470 |
| Connecticut | $70,380 |
| Hawaii | $70,120 |
| Nevada | $67,190 |
| Minnesota | $65,770 |
| Virginia | $65,140 |
| Washington | $64,400 |
| Illinois | $62,230 |
| Massachusetts | $61,810 |
| Texas | $61,790 |
| Florida | $60,320 |
| Rhode Island | $60,020 |
| North Carolina | $59,660 |
| Alaska | $58,940 |
| Colorado | $58,830 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,200 |
| Oregon | $58,040 |
| Utah | $55,940 |
| Michigan | $55,830 |
| Louisiana | $55,690 |
| Missouri | $55,380 |
| New Mexico | $54,030 |
| New Hampshire | $53,570 |
| Alabama | $53,320 |
| Delaware | $53,300 |
| South Dakota | $53,200 |
| Ohio | $53,190 |
| Vermont | $52,220 |
| Tennessee | $52,070 |
| Wisconsin | $51,740 |
| Arkansas | $51,650 |
| Arizona | $51,340 |
| Kentucky | $50,710 |
| Oklahoma | $49,080 |
| Indiana | $48,300 |
| South Carolina | $47,510 |
| Idaho | $47,070 |
| Kansas | $47,040 |
| Nebraska | $46,940 |
| Maine | $46,690 |
| Montana | $45,720 |
| Wyoming | $43,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,260 |
| Iowa | $43,190 |
| North Dakota | $42,480 |
| Mississippi | $41,050 |
How do film director salaries compare to similar careers?
Film directors earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than naval architects but more than filmmakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Naval architect salary | $92K |
| Art director salary | $89K |
| Talent agent salary | $74K |
| Film director salary | $75K |
| Producer salary | $75K |
| Talent director salary | $74K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $75K |
| Filmmaker salary | $71K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)