The average salary for a filmmaker in California is around $129,790 per year.
Avg Salary
Filmmakers earn an average yearly salary of $129,790.
Wages typically start from $63,570 and go up to $306,850.
91% above national average Updated in 2025
Filmmaker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$147.52 per hour
$306,850 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$82.89 per hour
$172,410 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$62.40 per hour
$129,790 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$39.96 per hour
$83,110 per year
10th percentile
Starting level filmmaker earnings begin at:
$30.56 per hour
$63,570 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Filmmaker 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 filmmaker salaries compare to similar careers?
Filmmakers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than art directors but more than makeup artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Art director salary | $138K |
| Casting director salary | $130K |
| Film producer salary | $130K |
| Film director salary | $130K |
| Filmmaker salary | $130K |
| Makeup artist salary | $141K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)