Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
Less than 5 years
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Producers and directors help shape creative projects from concept through completion, using a combination of artistic vision, coordination, and leadership. Nationally, this occupation has a median annual salary of $83,480 with about 167,000 people employed, indicating a sizable professional community. Projected employment growth of 4.9% and around 13,000 annual openings point to ongoing opportunities for new and experienced professionals. Success in this field draws heavily on creativity and innovation, but also on skills like project management, leadership, problem solving, and strong interpersonal communication. The role also values speaking and listening, critical and analytical thinking, and comfort with computers and information technology. For many people interested in combining creative work with responsibility for managing people, timelines, and resources, this career can offer a compelling mix of artistic and organizational challenges. A bachelor’s degree is the typical education level, providing a structured pathway into the field for students and career changers planning their next steps.
Nationally, producers and directors earn a median annual salary of $83,480. Within this overall picture, there are meaningful differences across states and metro areas. Among top states by opportunity score, California shows a median salary of $129,790 and New York reports $107,550, both higher than the national median. Massachusetts, Washington, and Colorado cluster closer to the national level, with median salaries of $80,970, $81,550, and $78,060 respectively. At the metro level, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont stand out with median salaries of $131,600 and $130,640. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro lists a median of $108,460, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Boston-Cambridge-Newton show $100,270 and $83,850. These figures suggest that geographic choices can significantly influence earning potential, especially in certain large metropolitan areas where median pay is well above the national median for this occupation.
Producers and directors have a national employment base of about 167,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 4.9%. This projection applies consistently across the top states and metro areas listed, indicating steady expected expansion rather than sharp regional differences in growth rates. The occupation is also expected to generate approximately 13,000 annual openings. Those openings reflect both new positions from growth and the need to replace people who change roles or leave the workforce. For students and professionals considering this path, the combination of an existing sizable workforce and continued projected growth points to ongoing movement and turnover in the field. The presence of producers and directors across multiple high-opportunity states and metros further supports the idea that employment prospects are not limited to one single location, giving job seekers flexibility to consider various markets while planning their careers.
Location can play a significant role in opportunities for producers and directors. Among states, California, New York, and Massachusetts rank highest by opportunity score, at 67.38, 65.78, and 65.87 respectively. California combines a high median salary of $129,790 with employment of 34,110, while New York offers a median of $107,550 and employment of 27,990. Massachusetts, Colorado, and Washington also appear as strong options, with opportunity scores ranging from about 56 to 66 and median salaries between $78,060 and $81,550. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City leads with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $108,460, and employment of 27,020. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont in California show some of the highest median salaries—$131,600 and $130,640—alongside substantial employment. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Boston-Cambridge-Newton also provide solid combinations of salary, employment, and opportunity score, giving candidates several strong geographic options.
For producers and directors, a bachelor’s degree is the typical education level. This makes the field accessible to students planning a four-year college path as well as career changers who already hold a degree. Education often provides a foundation for the broad skill set associated with this occupation. Key skills include creativity and innovation, which support developing and shaping projects, and speaking and listening, which are central to communicating with collaborators. Project management, leadership, and problem solving and decision making are also critical, reflecting the need to coordinate people, schedules, and resources. Computers and information technology skills support modern production processes, while critical and analytical thinking, adaptability, and interpersonal strengths help professionals navigate complex situations and work effectively with diverse teams. Writing and reading are important for understanding and developing materials. Together, the typical bachelor’s degree and this mix of skills form a clear preparation profile for entering and growing in this career.
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