Filmmaker earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$54.05 per hour

$112,420 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$38.49 per hour

$80,050 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$29.71 per hour

$61,790 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$21.42 per hour

$44,560 per year

10th percentile

Starting level filmmaker earnings begin at:

$16.19 per hour

$33,670 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Filmmaker salary by state

State Name Average Salary
California $97,550
New York $96,590
Connecticut $83,506
District of Columbia $82,150
New Jersey $75,830
Maryland $75,620
Georgia $73,470
Pennsylvania $73,093
Illinois $72,771
Hawaii $70,120
Minnesota $65,770
Virginia $65,140
Tennessee $65,040
Washington $64,400
Massachusetts $61,810
Texas $61,790
Nevada $60,510
Florida $60,320
Rhode Island $60,020
North Carolina $59,660
Alaska $58,940
Colorado $58,830
Oregon $58,040
Kansas $56,680
Utah $55,940
Michigan $55,830
Louisiana $55,690
Missouri $55,380
New Mexico $54,030
New Hampshire $53,570
Delaware $53,300
South Dakota $53,200
Ohio $53,190
Alabama $52,279
Vermont $52,220
Wisconsin $51,740
Arkansas $51,650
Kentucky $50,710
Oklahoma $49,080
South Carolina $47,510
Idaho $47,070
Arizona $46,969
Nebraska $46,940
Indiana $46,827
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 filmmaker salaries compare to similar careers?

Filmmakers earn 7% less than similar careers in Texas. On average, they make less than multimedia animators but more than urban planners.

Career Median Salary
Multimedia animator salary $73K
Talent agent salary $70K
Art director salary $72K
Fashion designer salary $66K
Industrial designer salary $66K
Producer salary $62K
Talent director salary $62K
Film director salary $62K
Filmmaker salary $62K
Urban planner salary $63K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)