The average salary for an actor in the United States is around $60,424 per year.
Avg Salary
Actors earn an average yearly salary of $60,424.
Wages typically start from $34,320 and go up to $298,854.
73% above national average Updated in 2025
Actor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level actor earnings begin at:
$143.68 per hour
$298,854 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level actor earnings begin at:
$97.95 per hour
$203,736 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level actor earnings begin at:
$29.05 per hour
$60,424 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level actor earnings begin at:
$20.34 per hour
$42,307 per year
10th percentile
Starting level actor earnings begin at:
$16.50 per hour
$34,320 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Actor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $76,918 |
| Oregon | $62,005 |
| New York | $59,155 |
| Connecticut | $58,053 |
| Texas | $53,789 |
| Alabama | $51,397 |
| New Jersey | $50,523 |
| Mississippi | $49,317 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,072 |
| Tennessee | $45,386 |
| Hawaii | $44,942 |
| Arizona | $44,013 |
| California | $43,555 |
| Georgia | $41,080 |
| Arkansas | $40,539 |
| Missouri | $39,936 |
| Florida | $39,749 |
| Minnesota | $39,416 |
| Kentucky | $39,208 |
| North Carolina | $39,166 |
| New Hampshire | $36,442 |
| District of Columbia | $34,736 |
| South Carolina | $33,426 |
| Illinois | $31,200 |
| Michigan | $29,515 |
| Massachusetts | $29,120 |
| Ohio | $28,101 |
| Nevada | $26,541 |
| Washington | $26,500 |
| Indiana | $24,928 |
| Louisiana | $19,074 |
How do actor salaries compare to similar careers?
Actors earn 17% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than singers but more than choreographers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Singer salary | $99K |
| Music artist salary | $99K |
| Actor salary | $60K |
| Talent director salary | $90K |
| Conductor salary | $74K |
| Announcer salary | $47K |
| Choreographer salary | $55K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)