The average salary for a film director in the United States is around $90,360 per year.
Avg Salary
Film directors earn an average yearly salary of $90,360.
Wages typically start from $45,780 and go up to $198,540.
65% above national average Updated in 2025
Film director earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level film director earnings begin at:
$95.45 per hour
$198,540 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level film director earnings begin at:
$64.81 per hour
$134,800 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level film director earnings begin at:
$43.44 per hour
$90,360 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level film director earnings begin at:
$30.13 per hour
$62,670 per year
10th percentile
Starting level film director earnings begin at:
$22.01 per hour
$45,780 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Film director salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $88,260 |
| Oregon | $87,460 |
| Rhode Island | $84,250 |
| Washington | $81,550 |
| Illinois | $81,080 |
| Massachusetts | $80,970 |
| Georgia | $79,950 |
| Florida | $79,920 |
| Maryland | $79,350 |
| Nevada | $78,480 |
| Colorado | $78,060 |
| Minnesota | $76,360 |
| Utah | $76,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,460 |
| Tennessee | $73,020 |
| Delaware | $72,650 |
| Texas | $71,710 |
| Maine | $71,320 |
| Ohio | $69,350 |
| Arizona | $67,320 |
| Missouri | $66,460 |
| Wisconsin | $66,390 |
| Hawaii | $66,190 |
| Virginia | $65,900 |
| Michigan | $65,720 |
| North Carolina | $63,700 |
| Alabama | $63,340 |
| Louisiana | $62,920 |
| Oklahoma | $61,600 |
| New Hampshire | $61,560 |
| Idaho | $61,150 |
| Kansas | $60,600 |
| Wyoming | $60,420 |
| South Dakota | $60,260 |
| Indiana | $59,870 |
| Iowa | $58,550 |
| North Dakota | $57,870 |
| South Carolina | $56,030 |
| Vermont | $55,660 |
| Kentucky | $54,550 |
| Alaska | $54,060 |
| Montana | $52,580 |
| Nebraska | $52,580 |
| Mississippi | $48,100 |
| West Virginia | $46,660 |
| Arkansas | $38,820 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,590 |
| California | $129,790 |
| New Jersey | $119,840 |
| New York | $107,550 |
| District of Columbia | $104,270 |
| 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 art directors but more than multimedia animators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Art director salary | $115K |
| Naval architect salary | $112K |
| Film producer salary | $90K |
| Filmmaker salary | $90K |
| Casting director salary | $90K |
| Film director salary | $90K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $102K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)