Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Jobs — US Salaries
41 occupations · about 2,046,270 US workers · top-paid Art Directors at $114,850 — BLS OEWS May 2025.
How much do arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media jobs pay in the US?
The Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media field (SOC 27) covers 41 detailed US occupations employing about 2,046,270 people. Median pay across its 36 priced occupations runs from $37,360 to $114,850 a year, with Art Directors the highest-paid at $114,850 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The US all-occupations median is $50,980. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Occupations
41
in this field
US workers
2,046,270
total employment
Top median
$114,850
highest-paid job
Lowest median
$37,360
of priced jobs
Every arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupation, by median pay
| Occupation | Median | Mean | US workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art DirectorsSOC 27-1011 | $114,850 | $129,440 | 53,070 |
| Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsSOC 27-1014 | $102,030 | $112,870 | 19,970 |
| Technical WritersSOC 27-3042 | $90,390 | $96,970 | 45,500 |
| Producers and DirectorsSOC 27-2012 | $90,360 | $113,300 | 143,120 |
| Commercial and Industrial DesignersSOC 27-1021 | $83,910 | $93,260 | 33,490 |
| Fashion DesignersSOC 27-1022 | $80,960 | $91,230 | 21,450 |
| EditorsSOC 27-3041 | $77,920 | $90,060 | 91,690 |
| Writers and AuthorsSOC 27-3043 | $76,910 | $86,090 | 47,940 |
| Film and Video EditorsSOC 27-4032 | $75,420 | $86,130 | 25,610 |
| Set and Exhibit DesignersSOC 27-1027 | $75,240 | $83,160 | 10,630 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and FilmSOC 27-4031 | $74,990 | $83,210 | 21,550 |
| Public Relations SpecialistsSOC 27-3031 | $74,750 | $84,120 | 283,380 |
| Music Directors and ComposersSOC 27-2041 | $73,710 | $90,470 | 12,540 |
| Media and Communication Workers, All OtherSOC 27-3099 | $73,620 | $83,860 | 19,590 |
| Sound Engineering TechniciansSOC 27-4014 | $73,130 | $81,390 | 13,080 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous CaptionersSOC 27-3092 | $72,420 | $78,760 | 12,870 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 27-1019 | $71,240 | $80,530 | 6,930 |
| Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All OtherSOC 27-4099 | $70,720 | $81,040 | 12,450 |
| Lighting TechniciansSOC 27-4015 | $68,060 | $78,380 | 8,900 |
| Interior DesignersSOC 27-1025 | $67,190 | $74,540 | 71,500 |
| Athletes and Sports CompetitorsSOC 27-2021 | $66,710 | $206,180 | 15,070 |
| Designers, All OtherSOC 27-1029 | $64,950 | $79,090 | 9,480 |
| Graphic DesignersSOC 27-1024 | $62,960 | $70,560 | 197,830 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsSOC 27-3023 | $62,200 | $102,460 | 39,250 |
| Interpreters and TranslatorsSOC 27-3091 | $60,170 | $66,360 | 52,060 |
| Broadcast TechniciansSOC 27-4012 | $59,570 | $67,960 | 21,110 |
| Audio and Video TechniciansSOC 27-4011 | $58,100 | $64,630 | 70,230 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and IllustratorsSOC 27-1013 | $55,490 | $73,150 | 11,220 |
| ChoreographersSOC 27-2032 | $55,310 | $73,100 | 2,860 |
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc JockeysSOC 27-3011 | $47,340 | $78,720 | 21,240 |
| Coaches and ScoutsSOC 27-2022 | $47,320 | $60,160 | 248,950 |
| Craft ArtistsSOC 27-1012 | $46,080 | $49,740 | 4,580 |
| PhotographersSOC 27-4021 | $44,660 | $55,410 | 51,760 |
| Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports OfficialsSOC 27-2023 | $40,710 | $53,010 | 15,780 |
| Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersSOC 27-1026 | $39,390 | $42,830 | 165,220 |
| Floral DesignersSOC 27-1023 | $37,360 | $39,520 | 40,590 |
| ActorsSOC 27-2011 | — | — | 55,000 |
| DancersSOC 27-2031 | — | — | 8,130 |
| Disc Jockeys, Except RadioSOC 27-2091 | — | — | 7,920 |
| Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 27-2099 | — | — | 16,550 |
| Musicians and SingersSOC 27-2042 | — | — | 36,180 |
Suppressed BLS cells are shown as “—”, never estimated. Click any occupation for its full salary breakdown and national rank.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the highest-paying arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media job in the US?
- Among Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupations, Art Directors have the highest published national median wage at $114,850 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many people work in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media jobs in the US?
- About 2,046,270 US workers are employed across the 41 occupations in the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media field (SOC 27), summing the published BLS OEWS May 2025 employment estimates for each member occupation.
- What jobs are in the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media field?
- The Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media field is SOC major group 27. It includes occupations such as Art Directors, Special Effects Artists and Animators, Technical Writers, Producers and Directors, Commercial and Industrial Designers, and 36 more. Every occupation whose 6-digit SOC code starts with 27 belongs to this field.
- Where does this arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—".
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Find arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC major group 27 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Grouped by official US SOC 2018 major group and published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All occupational fields