Occupation salary profile

Choreographers

SOC 27-2032 BLS OEWS May 2025

Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.

National median · BLS
$55,310
▼ -0.52% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$73,100
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
2,860
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Choreographers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$34,090
25th$41,600
Median (50th)$55,310
75th$75,710
90th — top pay$138,630

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Choreographers

BLS projects employment of choreographers to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 600 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
4,700 → 4,900
+100 jobs
Projected change
+3.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
600
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus 5 years or more experience
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
39.6% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Choreographers

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
  • Instructing4.0
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Coordination3.9
  • Speaking3.9
  • Monitoring3.8
  • Learning Strategies3.6
  • Social Perceptiveness3.6
  • Reading Comprehension3.5
  • Critical Thinking3.4
  • Time Management3.4
Top knowledge areas
  • Fine Arts4.5
  • Education and Training3.3
  • Administration and Management3.3
  • Production and Processing3.3
  • Communications and Media3.1
  • Design3.1
  • English Language3.0
  • Psychology2.9
Software and technology used
FacebookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSalesforce softwareChorel Technology Dance DesignerCredo Interactive DanceFormsEmail softwareSalesforce VisualforceSocial media sitesWeb browser softwareYouTube

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 choreographers do

  • Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
  • Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
  • Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
  • Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
  • Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
  • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
Also called
ChoreographerDance DirectorDance MakerOpera ChoreographerBallet DirectorMusical Choreographer
More job titles for this occupation (6)
Choreography DirectorDance ChoreographerDance InstructorDance MasterDancing MasterTeaching Choreographer

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.