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Film & Television
Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney
Actors
Actors bring scripted characters to life for stage, film, television, commercials, radio, and live events. The work is unusual because most of the job happens before the audience sees anything: auditions, rehearsals, script study, and constant adjustment after notes from directors or producers. The main tradeoff is stark—creative variety and the chance to land memorable roles, but very little stability, with success tied to competition, rejection, and short-term bookings.
Also known as PerformerPerforming ArtistStage PerformerScreen ActorVoice Artist
Median Salary
$0
Mean $0
U.S. Workforce
~39K
6.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+0.3%
57K to 57.1K
Entry Education
Some college, no degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Actors sits in the Creative category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~39K workers, with a median annual pay of $0 and roughly 6.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 57 K in 2024 to 57.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Some college, no degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Background Performer / Extra and can progress toward Established Lead Actor. High-value skills usually include Script Analysis & Memorization, Voice Control, Diction & Delivery, and Active Listening for Rehearsals, paired with soft skills such as Creativity, Resilience, and Collaboration.
Core Responsibilities
- Go to auditions and casting calls to compete for roles.
- Work through scenes with other actors so the performance feels natural and coordinated.
- Study scripts, characters, and relationships to figure out how a role should be played.
- Use your voice, face, and body language to show emotion and tell the story.
Keep exploring: more Creative careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Go to auditions and casting calls to compete for roles.
02 Work through scenes with other actors so the performance feels natural and coordinated.
03 Study scripts, characters, and relationships to figure out how a role should be played.
04 Use your voice, face, and body language to show emotion and tell the story.
05 Perform lines or narration for film, TV, radio, stage, or other live audiences.
06 Practice action moves, singing, or dance routines when a role calls for them.
Industries That Hire
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Theatre & Live Performance
Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, Disney Theatrical Productions
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Voice Acting & Animation
Disney, Pixar, Nickelodeon
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Commercials & Advertising
Wieden+Kennedy, McCann, Ogilvy
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Video Games & Motion Capture
Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Audiobooks & Audio Entertainment
Audible, Penguin Random House Audio, Spotify Studios
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The work is varied: a single career can move between stage, screen, commercials, voice work, and motion capture.
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The entry path is flexible compared with many careers, since BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical entry point and 45.42% of workers report less than a high school diploma.
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There are still steady chances to get hired, with about 6.3K annual openings even though total employment is only 38.8K.
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Strong acting skills can transfer across formats, so one good reel or stage credit can open doors in several parts of the industry.
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The job can be deeply creative and collaborative, especially when you are building a character with directors, writers, and fellow performers.
Challenges
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Growth is almost flat: employment is projected to rise from 57.0K to just 57.1K by 2034, or 0.3%, so the field is not expanding in a meaningful way.
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Many openings will come from replacement rather than new jobs, so 6.3K annual openings do not mean the market is getting bigger.
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Income is usually uneven and project-based, with long gaps between bookings and lots of unpaid audition time.
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The job has a built-in rejection problem: actors can spend far more time auditioning than actually performing, even after years of experience.
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Career progression can hit a ceiling because the highest-paying work is concentrated in a small number of roles, markets, and production companies.
Career Progression
Background Performer / Extra
0-2 years
$15K-$30K
Often the first paid on-camera or stage work, usually involving small roles, crowd scenes, and learning how sets, rehearsals, and call times work.
Actor
1-5 years
$30K-$60K
Starts to include speaking parts, regular auditions, rehearsal schedules, and more responsibility for preparing characters on your own.
Working / Union Actor THIS ROLE
4-10 years
$60K-$120K
At this level, performers may book recurring roles, commercials, voice work, or stage productions and spend a lot of time balancing bookings with auditioning.
Established Lead Actor
8+ years
$120K-$400K
Experienced performers may land lead roles, negotiate better terms, and work across multiple formats, but success still depends on project flow and public demand.
Education Paths
Some college, no degree
BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical entry point, and the broader education mix shows that this field is built more on training and experience than on a single formal credential.
No formal degree
This is a real route into the field, and the O*NET distribution shows 45.42% of workers with less than a high school diploma, which reflects how often actors build careers through classes, community theater, and auditions.
Bachelor's degree in theatre, acting, or film
A bachelor's degree is also common, held by 20.68% of workers, and it can help with technique, networking, and access to campus productions and showcases.
Post-secondary certificate or conservatory program
Certificate-style training is a smaller path, but 3.81% of workers report this level, and focused acting programs can speed up audition prep, voice work, and scene study.
Key Skills
Technical
Script Analysis & Memorization 78%
Voice Control, Diction & Delivery 78%
Active Listening for Rehearsals 75%
Reading Body Language & Scene Cues 75%
Self-Tape Recording, Camera Framing & Audition Tech 60%
Rehearsal Planning & Time Management 60%
Performance Notes Tracking & Adjustments 60%
Movement Blocking, Choreography & Stage Combat Basics 58%
Soft Skills
CreativityResilienceCollaborationAdaptabilityComfort with RejectionSelf-Discipline Job Outlook and Trends
+0.3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
6.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 57K to 57.1 K over the next decade, representing 0.3% growth. Around 6.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.