### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Actors Summary
                        
            
                                    
                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			actors imageActors interpret a writer's script to entertain or inform an audience.							
						Quick Facts:     Actors2023     Median Pay
            						$20.50     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Some college, no degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Long-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    78,100Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    3% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    2,500What Actors Do
                                                
                        
                        
Actors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Actors work in various settings, including production studios, theaters, and theme parks, or on location. Work assignments are usually short, ranging from 1 day to a few months.
            
                                                How to Become an Actor
                                                
                        
Actors typically enhance their skills through formal education, and long-term training is common.
            
                        Pay
                        																																					    														The median hourly wage for actors was $20.50 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of actors is projected to grow							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 9,300 openings for actors are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for actors.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of actors with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about actors by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Actors Do 
            

			ActorsActors must memorize and rehearse their lines.			
Actors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.
Duties
Actors typically do the following:
Read scripts and meet with agents and other professionals before accepting a role
Audition in front of directors, producers, and casting directors
Research their character’s personal traits and circumstances to portray the characters more authentically to an audience
Memorize their lines
Rehearse their lines and performance, including on stage or in front of the camera, with other actors
Discuss their role with the director, producer, and other actors to improve the overall performance of the show
Perform the role, following the director’s directionsMost actors struggle to find steady work, and few achieve recognition as stars. Some work as “extras”—actors who have no lines to deliver but are included in scenes to give a more realistic setting. Some actors do voiceover or narration work for animated features, audiobooks, or other electronic media.
In some stage or film productions, actors sing, dance, or play a musical instrument. For some roles, an actor must learn a new skill, such as horseback riding or stage fighting.
Most actors have long periods of unemployment between roles and often hold other jobs in order to make a living. Some actors teach acting classes as a second job.
 Work Environment
			ActorsSome actors wear elaborate makeup and costumes.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Actors held about 78,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of actors were as follows:
        Self-employed workers
                26%Motion picture and video industries
                25Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services
                22Amusement parks and arcades
                8Theater companies and dinner theaters
                6Work assignments are usually short, ranging from 1 day to a few months, and actors often hold another job in order to make a living. They are frequently under the stress of having to find their next job. Some actors in touring companies may be employed for several years.
Actors may perform in unpleasant conditions, such as outdoors in bad weather, under hot stage lights, or while wearing an uncomfortable costume or makeup.
Work Schedules
Work hours for actors are extensive and irregular. Early morning, evening, weekend, and holiday work is common. Some actors work part time. Few actors work full time, and many have variable schedules. Those who work in theater may travel with a touring show across the country. Film and television actors may also travel to work on location.
 How to Become an Actor

			ActorsActors may audition for many roles before getting a job.			
Actors typically enhance their skills through formal education, and long-term training is common.
Education
Actors typically enhance their skills through formal education. Those who specialize in theater may have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as performing arts, but a degree is not required.
Although some people succeed in acting without getting a formal education, most actors acquire some formal preparation through a theater company’s acting conservatory or a university drama or theater arts program. Students can take college classes in drama or filmmaking to prepare for a career as an actor. Classes in dance or music may help as well.
Actors who do not have a college degree may take acting or film classes to learn their craft. Community colleges, acting conservatories, and private film schools typically offer these classes. Many theater companies also have education programs.
Important Qualities
***Creativity.*** Actors interpret their characters’ feelings and motives in order to portray the characters in the most compelling way.
***Memorization skills.*** Actors memorize many lines before filming begins or a show opens. Television actors often appear on camera with little time to memorize scripts, and scripts frequently may be revised or even written just moments before filming.
***Persistence.*** Actors may audition for many roles before getting a job. They must be able to accept rejection and keep going.
***Physical stamina.*** Actors should be in good enough physical condition to endure the heat from stage or studio lights and the weight of heavy costumes or makeup. They may work many hours, including acting in more than one performance a day, and they must do so without getting overly tired.
***Reading skills.*** Actors must read scripts and be able to interpret how a writer has developed their character.
***Speaking skills.*** Actors—particularly stage actors—must say their lines clearly, project their voice, and pronounce words so that audiences understand them.
In addition to these qualities, actors usually must be physically coordinated to perform predetermined, sometimes complex movements with other actors, such as dancing or stage fighting, in order to complete a scene.
Training
It takes many years of practice to develop the skills needed to be a successful actor, and actors never truly finish training. They work to improve their acting skills throughout their career. Many actors continue to train through workshops, rehearsals, or mentoring by a drama coach.
Every role is different, and an actor may need to learn something new for each one. For example, a role may require learning how to sing or dance, or an actor may have to learn to speak with an accent or to play a musical instrument or sport.
Many aspiring actors begin by participating in school plays or local theater productions. In television and film, actors usually start out in smaller roles or independent movies and work their way up to bigger productions.
Advancement
As an actor’s reputation grows, he or she may work on bigger projects or in more prestigious venues. Some actors become producers and directors.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                ActorsMedian hourly wages, May 2023Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers$25.65   Total, all occupations$23.11   Actors$20.50Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median hourly wage for actors was $20.50 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13.00, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100.01.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median hourly wages for actors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Theater companies and dinner theaters
                $25.17Amusement parks and arcades
                19.32Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services
                17.65Motion picture and video industries
                16.19Work hours for actors are extensive and irregular. Early morning, evening, weekend, and holiday work is common. Some actors work part time. Few actors work full time, and many have variable schedules. Those who work in theater may travel with a touring show across the country. Actors in movies may also travel to work on location.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               ActorsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers6%  Actors3%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of actors is projected to grow				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 9,300 openings for actors are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Streaming services and other online-only platforms are expected to drive employment demand for actors as the number of shows produced and the volume of content increase.
However, lack of funding may reduce the number of performances held at theaters, which would impact employment of actors in these establishments. Theaters with more stable sources of funding and well-known plays and musicals may be less susceptible to fluctuations in employment demand.
			

                        Employment projections data for     actors, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Actors**
			27-2011
			78,100
			80,600
			3
			2,500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Actors **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of actors. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Announcers and DJs**
            Announcers present news and sports or may interview guests on media such as radio and television. Disc jockeys (DJs) act as masters of ceremonies (emcees) or play recorded music at weddings, parties, or clubs.
            See How to Become One
            The annual wage is not available.**Dancers and Choreographers**
            Dancers and choreographers use dance performances to express ideas and stories.
            See How to Become One
            The annual wage is not available.**Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators**
            Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.
            Bachelor's degree
            $65,070**Special Effects Artists and Animators**
            Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.
            Bachelor's degree
            $99,060**Musicians and Singers**
            Musicians and singers play instruments or sing for live audiences and in recording studios.
            No formal educational credential
            The annual wage is not available.**Producers and Directors**
            Producers and directors make business and creative decisions about film, television, stage, and other productions.
            Bachelor's degree
            $82,510
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about actors, visit
Actors’ Equity Association
National Endowment for the Arts
SAG-AFTRA
CareerOneStop
For a career video on actors, visit
Actors

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Actors
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Actors, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/actors.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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