Occupational Employment and Wages, 2002

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)
52,560 12.5 % (4) $42,820 4.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $13,330 $15,320 $23,470 $53,320 $106,360
  (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
Motion picture and video industries 17,470 (4) $54,060 1 4
Accounting and bookkeeping services 12,170 (4) $44,270 2 8
Performing arts companies 10,340 (4) $34,500 3 10
Other amusement and recreation industries 2,180 (4) $15,810 4 17
Independent artists, writers, and performers 1,470 (4) $44,430 5 6

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Cable and other subscription programming 60 (4) $88,300 15 1
Radio and television broadcasting 240 (4) $73,610 11 2
Advertising and related services 50 (4) $60,280 16 3
Motion picture and video industries 17,470 (4) $54,060 1 4
Employment services 1,380 (4) $47,680 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
California 16,370 (4) $55,500 0.113% 187
Florida 3,580 (4) $31,650 0.050% 345
South Dakota 160 (4) $19,680 0.044% 417
New Jersey 1,630 (4) $39,800 0.042% 342
Oklahoma 540 (4) $20,090 0.038% 539

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
California 16,370 (4) $55,500 0.113% 187
Iowa 40 (4) $54,080 0.003% 86
Minnesota 790 (4) $50,220 0.030% 155
Hawaii 90 (4) $42,570 0.016% 195
Illinois 1,770 (4) $42,440 0.031% 253

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
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA 11,480 (4) $61,960 0.285%
New York, NY PMSA 8,420 (4) $43,290 0.211%
Oklahoma City, OK MSA 470 (4) $16,200 0.090%
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV PMSA 1,300 (4) $39,620 0.049%
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL MSA 120 (4) $25,780 0.044%

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 11,480 (4) $61,960 0.285%
New Haven-Meriden, CT PMSA 70 (4) $52,420 0.028%
New York, NY PMSA 8,420 (4) $43,290 0.211%
Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA 320 (4) $43,130 0.041%
Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA (6) (4) $42,180 (6)

About 2002 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) Data for detailed occupations does not sum to the totals because the totals include data for 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

2002 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2002 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2002 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download 2002 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: November 26, 2003