Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2003

27-2011 Actors

Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or motion picture productions 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 estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
51,840 11.8 % (4) $48,940 5.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $13,380 $15,480 $26,460 $72,280 $120,210
  (4)

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Performing arts companies 10,420 (4) $38,080 1 8
Independent artists, writers, and performers 1,620 (4) $84,580 2 2
Employment services 1,610 (4) $45,800 3 6
Museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks 910 (4) $23,690 4 14
Amusement parks and arcades 900 (4) $25,100 5 13

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Radio and television broadcasting 250 (4) $91,270 8 1
Independent artists, writers, and performers 1,620 (4) $84,580 2 2
Cable and other subscription programming 100 (4) $83,330 11 3
Management of companies and enterprises 40 (4) $59,000 13 4
Motion picture and video industries (6) (4) $57,010 (6) 5

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
New York 13,840 (4) $53,580 0.168% 218
California 13,890 (4) $59,970 0.096% 175
Nevada 420 (4) $46,870 0.039% 179
Florida 2,780 (4) $33,960 0.039% 342
Virginia 1,280 (4) $62,730 0.038% 106

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
District of Columbia 70 (4) $75,740 0.012% 60
Arizona 100 (4) $66,180 0.004% 49
Virginia 1,280 (4) $62,730 0.038% 106
California 13,890 (4) $59,970 0.096% 175
New York 13,840 (4) $53,580 0.168% 218

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
New York, NY PMSA 10,330 (4) $57,190 0.260%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA 9,470 (4) $67,100 0.236%
Orlando, FL MSA 890 (4) $28,050 0.100%
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL MSA 250 (4) $22,610 0.091%
Myrtle Beach, SC MSA 80 (4) $28,050 0.079%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA 9,470 (4) $67,100 0.236%
New York, NY PMSA 10,330 (4) $57,190 0.260%
New Haven-Meriden, CT PMSA 70 (4) $53,860 0.028%
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV PMSA 850 (4) $51,800 0.032%
Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA 340 (4) $51,400 0.042%

About May 2003 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

To see profiles of other occupations, select from the major groups below:

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(4) Hourly wage rates for occupations where workers typically work fewer than 2,080 hours per year are not available.

(6) Estimates not released.

All Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

2003 May National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2003 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: May 7, 2004