Producers and Directors
Producers and directors make business and creative decisions about film, television, stage, and other productions.
Is producers and directors a good career?
It scores 25/100 and ranks #216 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Pays well above the U.S. median wage ($90,360 vs $61,390)
Possible tradeoffs
- Typically requires a bachelor's degree
- Often needs prior experience (less than 5 years)
What producers and directors earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. producers and directors earn between $62,670 and $134,800 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
Live producers and directors jobs
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- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow faster than average through 2034.
Education
Producers and directors typically need a bachelor's degree in film or cinema studies or a related field, such as arts management, business, communications technology, or theater. In film or cinema studies programs, students learn about film history, editing, screenwriting, cinematography, and the filmmaking process.
Stage directors may complete a degree in theater, and some go on to earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. Courses may include directing, playwriting, set design, and acting.
Advancement
As a producer’s or director’s reputation grows, he or she may work on increasingly large, challenging, and expensive projects that attract publicity.
Important qualities
Communication skills. Producers and directors must convey information and ideas clearly in order to coordinate many people to finish a production on time and within budget.
Creativity. Because a script may be interpreted in different ways, directors must decide on their approach and on how to represent the script’s ideas for the production.
Decision-making skills. Producers must find and hire, within budget, the best director and crew for the production. Directors must make choices that affect the look and feel of the production.
Leadership skills. Directors instruct actors and help them portray their characters in a believable manner. They also supervise the crew, which is responsible for behind-the-scenes work.
Related occupations
How much do producers and directors make?
The national median wage is $90,360 a year, with the middle half earning between $62,670 and $134,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is producers and directors a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 25 of 100 and ranks #216 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +4.9% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a producers and director?
The typical entry-level education is bachelor's degree, usually with less than 5 years.
Where do producers and directors earn the most?
Among states, California pays the highest median ($129,790). Local pay for every state and metro is below.