Wondering about a career in entertainment?

Theater marquee lit at nightThe dazzle of being on camera or stage. The thrill of creating an experience for viewers. The chance to see your vision brought to life. Is your ultimate dream to work in the entertainment industry?

If it is, you’ll probably need a high degree of persistence, willingness to take risks, and the ability to network, as well as the talent to succeed in this creative industry. You may well have already wondered about the competition for work, and realized the pressure to earn a regular paycheck can be a strong deterrent to pursuing the dream.

If you want to explore whether your dream could become a feasible plan, or just want to learn more about the options, start your research on CareerOneStop. You can view detailed career profiles to learn how likely there are to be job openings in each field, typical wages, education needed, description of the work, and more.

Types of careers in the entertainment industry

A general definition of entertainment industry careers are those involved in providing entertainment via radio, television, film, and theater. This list of occupations is a start; many more workers help support the day-to-day operations of the entertainment industry, and some may be performers who are primarily artists.

The following list of entertainment career titles are followed by the expected outlook for job openings over the next 8 years, and the national annual wage range for the field. Select the career title to see a full profile of that occupation.

Actor
Bright outlook, $19,000 – $187,000

Agents and Business Managers of Artists and Performers
Average outlook, $31,000 – $200,000

Animators and Multimedia Artists
Average outlook, $39,000 – $123,000

Art director
Average outlook, $51,000 – $170,000

Audio and Video Equipment Technicians
Bright outlook, $25,000 – $79,000

Camera operators and Cinematographers
Average outlook, $25,000 – $103,000

Costume Attendants / Wardrobe Assistant
Bright outlook, $21,000 – $85,000

Director
Bright outlook, $34,000 – $164,000

Film and Video Editor
Bright outlook, $30,000 – $163,000

Producers
Bright outlook, $34,000 – $164,000

Radio and Television Announcers
Below average outlook, $19,000 – $84,000

Screenwriter (included in Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers profile)
Average outlook, $31,000 – $119,000

Set and Exhibit Designer
Bright outlook, $29,000 – $98,000

Sound Engineering Technicians
Average outlook, $26,000 – $125,000

Talent Directors / Casting Agents
Bright outlook, $34,000 – $164,000

Key:
Bright outlook = New job opportunities are very likely in the future. The occupation is expected to grow much faster than average so many more positions will be created, as well as openings due to workers leaving the field or retiring.

Average outlook = New job opportunities are likely in the future. Workers leaving the field and retiring will generate job openings, and new positions will be created.

Below average outlook = New job opportunities are less likely in the future. Some openings will still occur as workers leave the field or retire.

And if you are curious about how your dream job stacks up next to a more “practical” career, try the Compare Occupations tool to see how the careers compare. For example, you could compare Producers and Directors to Computer Network Support Specialists, and learn about differences in salary, level of training needed, and any licenses or certifications associated with the two fields. Enter a specific location (State, city and state, or ZIP code) to see your local area’s data.

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