Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or film productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.
National median · BLS
$60,424
▲ +24.52%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$121,243
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
55,000
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Actors
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$34,320
25th
$42,307
Median (50th)
$60,424
75th
$203,736
90th — top pay
$298,854
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Actors
BLS projects employment of actors to grow 0% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 6,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
67,500 → 67,500
+0 jobs
Projected change
+0%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
6,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Some college, no degree
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
23% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Actors salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Actors
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Reading Comprehension4.0
Speaking4.0
Active Listening3.9
Social Perceptiveness3.6
Critical Thinking3.1
Coordination3.0
Time Management3.0
Active Learning2.9
Judgment and Decision Making2.9
Monitoring2.9
Top knowledge areas
English Language4.4
Fine Arts4.0
Communications and Media3.7
Psychology3.0
Sociology and Anthropology2.8
Sales and Marketing2.5
Customer and Personal Service2.4
Computers and Electronics2.2
Software and technology used
FacebookLinuxMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordTikTokZoomApple Final Cut ProEmail softwareFileMaker ProInstagramLinkedInMotion capture softwareTwitterWeb browser softwareWebsite development software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What actors do
Attend auditions and casting calls to audition for roles.
Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.
Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
Read from scripts or books to narrate action or to inform or entertain audiences, utilizing few or no stage props.
Also called
ActressComedianCommunity Theater ActorVoice ActorEntertainerFilm ActorMotion Capture ActorRole PlayerTour ActorVoice-Over Artist
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Actors, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $60,424.
