The average wage for a filmmaker in the United States is around $37.98 per hour.
Avg Wage
Filmmakers earn an average hourly wage of $37.98.
Salaries typically start from $18.37 per hour and go up to $99.45 per hour.
50% above national average Updated in 2021
Filmmaker earnings by seniority
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 talent agents but more than naval architects.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent agent salary | $78K |
| Art director salary | $101K |
| Film producer salary | $79K |
| Filmmaker salary | $79K |
| Film director salary | $79K |
| Casting director salary | $79K |
| Naval architect salary | $93K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)