Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupation profiles

Overview:

Distinct Groups (41):

Employment: 1,902,970

Mean Hourly Wage: $28.07

Mean Annual Wage: $58,390

Largest Employment Category—Coaches and Scouts–230,930

Smallest Employment Category—Radio Operators–870

Wage Estimates for the entire group can be found here.

The Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupation profiles compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in May 2016 and modified in March 2017) include specific information about 41 distinct occupational job types.

Explore the qualifications and nature of each job type through links on this page and throughout the site.

If you are interested in assessing long-term trends and comparing the Bureau’s annual surveys beginning in 1988.

Fast Facts: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”) estimates that 1,902,970 are employed in this occupational group earning the “mean annual wage” (as defined below) of $58,390.

In general, the “mean” is the sum of the total values (e.g., wages) in the data set or survey divided by number of values (while the “median” is the middle value in same the sequence. The term “mean annual wage” (or “MAW”) is calculated by multiplying the mean hourly wage as determined by the BLS by a “year-round, full-time” hours figure of 2,080 hours. So, for example, the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group’s mean hourly wage of $28.072, multiplied by 2,080, results in the mean annual wage of $58,390.

Note that several job classifications in this group including, Actors, Dancers, Musicians and Singers and Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other, that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported separately as either hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how their typical manner of payment.

Did you know? You might find it hard to believe that the States with the 4th and 5th highest concentration of jobs in this occupation are…Vermont (18.75 per 1,000 jobs) and Colorado (15.58 per 1,000 jobs). Consider also, however, that annual mean wage in Vermont’s ($46,280) and Colorado ($52,410) are well below that of Washington, D.C. ($87,960), the leader in this occupation in pay and job concentration rate (51.51 per 1,000 jobs). Nearly 18% of the 1,902,970 jobs in this occupation (excluding self-employed) are in the New York City and Los Angeles metropolitan areas.

Highest Paid (mean annual wage)

  • Art Directors ($101,170)
  • Producers and Directors ($93,840)
  • Athletes and Sports Competitors ($83,730)
  • Film and Video Editors ($82,190)
  • Broadcast News Analysts ($78,200)

Lowest Paid (from lowest)

  • Floral Designers ($27,610)
  • Merchandise Displayers & Window Trimmers ($30,090)
  • Umpires, Referees, and other Sports Officials ($35,540)
  • Craft Artist ($38,900)
  • Coaches and Scouts ($41,000)

For the entire list of mean annual wages for this occupation (from highest to lowest)

Sources: In addition to specific citations noted, supplementary source materials include the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.