The average wage for a film director in the United States is around $34.46 per hour.
Avg Wage
This is 27% above the national average. Updated in 2018.
Film directors earn an average hourly wage of $34.46. Salaries typically start from $16.56 per hour and go up to $71.70 per hour.
Film director earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Film director salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $96,590 |
| California | $97,550 |
| New Jersey | $75,830 |
| District of Columbia | $82,150 |
| Connecticut | $70,380 |
| Georgia | $73,470 |
| Maryland | $75,620 |
| Illinois | $62,230 |
| Nevada | $67,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,200 |
| New Mexico | $54,030 |
| North Carolina | $59,660 |
| Hawaii | $70,120 |
| Minnesota | $65,770 |
| Washington | $64,400 |
| Florida | $60,320 |
| Massachusetts | $61,810 |
| Virginia | $65,140 |
| Texas | $61,790 |
| Colorado | $58,830 |
| Oregon | $58,040 |
| Utah | $55,940 |
| Michigan | $55,830 |
| Rhode Island | $60,020 |
| Missouri | $55,380 |
| Tennessee | $52,070 |
| Arizona | $51,340 |
| Alaska | $58,940 |
| Ohio | $53,190 |
| Kentucky | $50,710 |
| Arkansas | $51,650 |
| New Hampshire | $53,570 |
| Delaware | $53,300 |
| Vermont | $52,220 |
| South Carolina | $47,510 |
| Wisconsin | $51,740 |
| Alabama | $53,320 |
| Kansas | $47,040 |
| Louisiana | $55,690 |
| South Dakota | $53,200 |
| Oklahoma | $49,080 |
| Idaho | $47,070 |
| Indiana | $48,300 |
| Montana | $45,720 |
| Nebraska | $46,940 |
| Maine | $46,690 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,260 |
| Iowa | $43,190 |
| Wyoming | $43,570 |
| Mississippi | $41,050 |
| North Dakota | $42,480 |
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 directors but more than industrial designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent director salary | $72K |
| Fashion designer salary | $73K |
| Filmmaker salary | $73K |
| Architect salary | $79K |
| Producer salary | $72K |
| Film director salary | $72K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $73K |
| Urban planner salary | $73K |
| Television writer salary | $62K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)