The average wage for a film director in the United States is around $37.98 per hour.
Avg Wage
Film directors earn an average hourly wage of $37.98.
Salaries typically start from $18.37 per hour and go up to $99.45 per hour.
50% above national average Updated in 2021
Film director earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level film director earnings begin at:
$99.45 per hour
$206,860 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level film director earnings begin at:
$62.23 per hour
$129,440 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level film director earnings begin at:
$37.98 per hour
$79,000 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level film director earnings begin at:
$24.45 per hour
$50,860 per year
10th percentile
Starting level film director earnings begin at:
$18.37 per hour
$38,210 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Film director salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $99,240 |
| Connecticut | $82,470 |
| District of Columbia | $80,790 |
| Massachusetts | $78,630 |
| Maryland | $78,510 |
| New Jersey | $77,860 |
| Rhode Island | $77,450 |
| Oregon | $73,250 |
| Washington | $72,600 |
| Nevada | $64,430 |
| Virginia | $63,700 |
| New Hampshire | $63,320 |
| Colorado | $63,300 |
| Florida | $62,990 |
| Minnesota | $62,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,340 |
| Tennessee | $62,080 |
| Georgia | $62,070 |
| North Carolina | $61,920 |
| Illinois | $60,820 |
| Utah | $60,820 |
| Ohio | $59,920 |
| Texas | $59,550 |
| South Carolina | $58,890 |
| Arkansas | $58,350 |
| Wisconsin | $55,120 |
| Missouri | $53,980 |
| Arizona | $50,500 |
| Nebraska | $50,460 |
| Delaware | $50,250 |
| Kansas | $50,050 |
| Montana | $49,790 |
| Alaska | $49,600 |
| Wyoming | $49,600 |
| Indiana | $49,390 |
| South Dakota | $49,320 |
| Vermont | $49,260 |
| Michigan | $49,240 |
| Hawaii | $49,070 |
| Alabama | $48,890 |
| North Dakota | $48,790 |
| Kentucky | $48,600 |
| Mississippi | $48,130 |
| Iowa | $47,630 |
| Idaho | $47,480 |
| Maine | $46,290 |
| West Virginia | $44,970 |
| Louisiana | $43,540 |
| Oklahoma | $42,680 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,590 |
| California | $107,280 |
| New Mexico | $100,640 |
How do film director salaries compare to similar careers?
Film directors earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than talent agents but more than naval architects.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent agent salary | $78K |
| Art director salary | $101K |
| Film producer salary | $79K |
| Filmmaker salary | $79K |
| Film director salary | $79K |
| Casting director salary | $79K |
| Naval architect salary | $93K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)