United States · Pay by job · Arts, Design, Sports and Media
Actor salary and take-home pay
The typical US actor earns $29.05 an hour (BLS, May 2025). BLS gives no yearly figure, because few in this job work a full-time year. In Texas the median is $25.86 an hour; over a full-time year (2,080 hours, $53,789) a single filer would keep about $45,399 after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Actors (SOC 27-2011). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does an actor earn?
| Percentile | Bar | An hour |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $16.50 | |
| 25th | $20.34 | |
| Median | $29.05 | |
| 75th | $97.95 | |
| 90th | $143.68 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $20.34 to $97.95 an hour, and about 55,000 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025). BLS gives hourly pay only: few people in this job work a full-time year, so the take-home figures below use 2,080 hours as a guide.
Take-home pay tool
Actor · Texas · single · median
$45,399.30 a year after tax
$3,783.28 a month · $1,746.13 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $53,788.80 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$4,274.66 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$4,114.84 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $45,399.30 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $53,789 a year (BLS). BLS gives only hourly pay for this job; a year here is 2,080 hours (full time), which many in this job do not work. One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does an actor take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,320 | $29,756 | $28,989 | $28,320 |
| 25th | $42,307 | $36,174 | $34,983 | $34,272 |
| Median | $60,424 | $50,731 | $48,347 | $47,773 |
| 75th | $203,736 | $151,679 | $134,472 | $139,687 |
| 90th | $298,854 | $214,459 | $187,170 | $194,092 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City. A year is 2,080 hours at the hourly figure.
Where does an actor keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $59,155 | $46,827 |
| 2 | Texas | $53,789 | $45,399 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $50,523 | $41,129 |
| 4 | Tennessee | $45,386 | $38,647 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $46,072 | $37,752 |
| 6 | Florida | $39,749 | $34,118 |
| 7 | Georgia | $41,080 | $33,886 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $39,166 | $32,596 |
| 9 | Illinois | $31,200 | $25,850 |
| 10 | Ohio | $28,101 | $24,751 |
| 11 | Nevada | $26,541 | $23,466 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, California, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.
How much does an actor earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $51,397 | 150 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | not released | – |
| Arizona | $44,013 | 380 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $40,539 | 70 | not yet |
| California | not released | 26,170 | – |
| Colorado | not released | 200 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $58,053 | 180 | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $39,749 | 6,400 | $34,118 (#6) |
| Georgia | $41,080 | 1,520 | $33,886 (#7) |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $31,200 | 1,060 | $25,850 (#9) |
| Indiana | not released | 510 | not yet |
| Iowa | not released | not released | not yet |
| Kansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| Kentucky | $39,208 | 90 | not yet |
| Louisiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maine | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maryland | $76,918 | 520 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | not released | 660 | not yet |
| Michigan | not released | 150 | – |
| Minnesota | $39,416 | 520 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $49,317 | 80 | not yet |
| Missouri | $39,936 | 450 | not yet |
| Montana | not released | 70 | not yet |
| Nebraska | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nevada | $26,541 | 790 | $23,466 (#11) |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | $50,523 | 470 | $41,129 (#3) |
| New Mexico | not released | not released | not yet |
| New York | $59,155 | 6,630 | $46,827 (#1) |
| North Carolina | $39,166 | 730 | $32,596 (#8) |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | $28,101 | 170 | $24,751 (#10) |
| Oklahoma | not released | not released | not yet |
| Oregon | $62,005 | 470 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $46,072 | 890 | $37,752 (#5) |
| Rhode Island | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Carolina | not released | 140 | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | $45,386 | 370 | $38,647 (#4) |
| Texas | $53,789 | 2,160 | $45,399 (#2) |
| Utah | not released | 630 | not yet |
| Vermont | not released | not released | not yet |
| Virginia | not released | not released | – |
| Washington | not released | not released | – |
| West Virginia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wisconsin | not released | 260 | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay (hourly × 2,080) for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for an actor?
BLS expects jobs as an actor to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,300 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- 0%
- Openings a year
- about 6,300
- Usual education
- Some college, no degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 arts, design, sports and media jobs closest in pay to an actor:
- Interior Designer median $67,190
- Professional Athlete median $66,710
- Other Designer median $64,950
- Graphic Designer median $62,960
- News Reporter and Journalist median $62,200
- Interpreter and Translator median $60,170
- Broadcast Technician median $59,570
- Audio and Video Technician median $58,100
- Fine Artist median $55,490
- Choreographer median $55,310
Every job in the group: Arts, Design, Sports and Media jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $60,424, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $29.05 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $60,424, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about actor pay
How much does an actor make an hour?
The median is $29.05 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $20.34 to $97.95, and the top 10% earn $143.68 or more.
Which state pays an actor the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Maryland has the highest median for this job: $76,918 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New York leaves the most: $46,827 a year for a single filer on its median of $59,155.
What is an actor’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $60,424 (a full-time year at the median hourly rate), a single filer keeps about $50,731 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $48,347 in California and $47,773 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be an actor?
BLS lists some college, no degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training (more than a year).
Is the number of actor jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as an actor to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,300 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).