Arts & Media salaries
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers range from designers and writers to performers, athletes, and broadcast professionals.
Below are all 36 arts & media occupations the BLS tracks, ranked by median annual pay for May 2024. The best paid, art directors, earns a median of $111,040 a year.
| # | Job | Median annual | Hourly | Typical education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Art Directors | $111,040 | $53.38 | Bachelor's degree | 50,370 |
| 2 | Special Effects Artists and Animators | $99,800 | $47.98 | Bachelor's degree | 21,280 |
| 3 | Technical Writers | $91,670 | $44.07 | Bachelor's degree | 55,530 |
| 4 | Producers and Directors | $83,480 | $40.13 | Bachelor's degree | 145,270 |
| 5 | Fashion Designers | $80,690 | $38.79 | Bachelor's degree | 20,910 |
| 6 | Commercial and Industrial Designers | $79,450 | $38.20 | Bachelor's degree | 30,250 |
| 7 | Editors | $75,260 | $36.18 | Bachelor's degree | 95,480 |
| 8 | Writers and Authors | $72,270 | $34.75 | Bachelor's degree | 47,800 |
| 9 | Film and Video Editors | $70,980 | $34.12 | Bachelor's degree | 28,860 |
| 10 | Public Relations Specialists | $69,780 | $33.55 | Bachelor's degree | 280,590 |
| 11 | Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $68,810 | $33.08 | Bachelor's degree | 24,460 |
| 12 | Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $67,310 | $32.36 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 12,630 |
| 13 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $66,430 | $31.94 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 13,050 |
| 14 | Set and Exhibit Designers | $66,280 | $31.87 | Bachelor's degree | 10,850 |
| 15 | Music Directors and Composers | $63,670 | $30.61 | Bachelor's degree | 12,330 |
| 16 | Interior Designers | $63,490 | $30.52 | Bachelor's degree | 69,580 |
| 17 | Athletes and Sports Competitors | $62,360 | Salaried | No formal educational credential | 14,370 |
| 18 | Graphic Designers | $61,300 | $29.47 | Bachelor's degree | 214,260 |
| 19 | Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $60,560 | $29.12 | Bachelor's degree | 10,000 |
| 20 | Lighting Technicians | $60,560 | $29.11 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 10,130 |
| 21 | News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $60,280 | $28.98 | Bachelor's degree | 41,550 |
| 22 | Interpreters and Translators | $59,440 | $28.58 | Bachelor's degree | 53,360 |
| 23 | Choreographers | $55,600 | $26.73 | High school diploma or equivalent | 3,430 |
| 24 | Audio and Video Technicians | $54,830 | $26.36 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 70,080 |
| 25 | Broadcast Technicians | $53,920 | $25.92 | Associate's degree | 21,080 |
| 26 | Coaches and Scouts | $45,920 | Salaried | Bachelor's degree | 250,940 |
| 27 | Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | $45,680 | $21.96 | Bachelor's degree | 23,880 |
| 28 | Photographers | $42,520 | $20.44 | High school diploma or equivalent | 51,230 |
| 29 | Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | $38,820 | Salaried | High school diploma or equivalent | 15,080 |
| 30 | Craft Artists | $38,480 | $18.50 | No formal educational credential | 4,370 |
| 31 | Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers | $37,350 | $17.96 | High school diploma or equivalent | 192,480 |
| 32 | Floral Designers | $36,120 | $17.37 | High school diploma or equivalent | 40,160 |
| 33 | Actors | N/A | $23.33 | Some college, no degree | 38,800 |
| 34 | Dancers | N/A | $23.97 | No formal educational credential | 9,060 |
| 35 | Musicians and Singers | N/A | $42.45 | No formal educational credential | 38,350 |
| 36 | Disc Jockeys, Except Radio | N/A | $20.59 | High school diploma or equivalent | 8,170 |
Ranked by median annual wage. National estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2024.
Arts & Media salary FAQ
What is the highest paying arts & media job?
Art Directors top the arts & media field at a median of $111,040 a year, based on BLS data for May 2024.
How much do arts & media jobs pay on average?
Pay varies widely across the 36 occupations in this field. The middle of the list, fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, sits at a median of $60,560 a year. The overall U.S. median across all jobs is $49,500.