An official website of the United States government
The Academy Awards, or "Oscars," awards ceremony was held yesterday to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements in the U.S. film industry. Today we look at employment and wages in the movie production and movie theatres industries. In June 2016, the latest date for which data are available, there were 249,607 people employed in the motion picture and video production industry, up from 192,769 in June 2006.
Month | Motion picture and video production | Motion picture and video distribution | Motion picture theaters, except drive-ins | Drive-in motion picture theaters | Teleproduction and postproduction services | Other motion picture and video industries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun 2006 |
192,769 | 8,524 | 142,543 | 4,305 | 15,871 | 4,018 |
Jul 2006 |
183,813 | 8,419 | 141,016 | 4,407 | 15,780 | 3,481 |
Aug 2006 |
189,510 | 8,474 | 135,533 | 4,223 | 15,872 | 3,534 |
Sep 2006 |
191,907 | 8,334 | 122,611 | 3,605 | 15,963 | 3,629 |
Oct 2006 |
184,423 | 8,291 | 119,992 | 2,835 | 15,929 | 3,527 |
Nov 2006 |
191,480 | 8,353 | 125,210 | 2,429 | 16,073 | 3,675 |
Dec 2006 |
200,034 | 8,323 | 129,970 | 2,432 | 16,225 | 3,740 |
Jan 2007 |
181,355 | 7,286 | 126,668 | 1,691 | 15,164 | 3,398 |
Feb 2007 |
191,943 | 7,425 | 123,395 | 1,728 | 15,398 | 3,838 |
Mar 2007 |
197,679 | 7,397 | 125,783 | 1,880 | 15,375 | 4,419 |
Apr 2007 |
185,655 | 7,446 | 129,675 | 2,691 | 15,517 | 4,661 |
May 2007 |
194,097 | 7,468 | 143,212 | 3,711 | 15,592 | 3,864 |
Jun 2007 |
201,276 | 7,432 | 147,303 | 3,974 | 15,626 | 3,925 |
Jul 2007 |
189,545 | 7,432 | 145,081 | 4,009 | 15,502 | 4,451 |
Aug 2007 |
201,179 | 7,561 | 140,032 | 3,829 | 15,486 | 4,596 |
Sep 2007 |
202,331 | 7,570 | 125,614 | 3,183 | 15,500 | 5,007 |
Oct 2007 |
185,902 | 7,626 | 120,242 | 2,359 | 15,732 | 4,563 |
Nov 2007 |
193,815 | 7,724 | 124,636 | 2,019 | 15,743 | 4,415 |
Dec 2007 |
203,366 | 7,763 | 129,801 | 1,986 | 15,823 | 4,770 |
Jan 2008 |
176,787 | 7,557 | 126,436 | 1,646 | 16,014 | 3,805 |
Feb 2008 |
191,833 | 7,794 | 123,457 | 1,568 | 16,324 | 5,041 |
Mar 2008 |
205,315 | 7,690 | 124,706 | 1,686 | 16,110 | 5,483 |
Apr 2008 |
205,180 | 7,706 | 125,783 | 2,410 | 16,088 | 5,814 |
May 2008 |
214,372 | 7,766 | 132,720 | 3,292 | 16,065 | 5,958 |
Jun 2008 |
218,519 | 7,819 | 138,771 | 3,579 | 16,097 | 5,114 |
Jul 2008 |
195,235 | 7,813 | 140,278 | 3,666 | 16,200 | 4,935 |
Aug 2008 |
202,271 | 7,779 | 136,512 | 3,503 | 16,191 | 5,374 |
Sep 2008 |
212,279 | 7,689 | 120,131 | 2,881 | 16,211 | 5,656 |
Oct 2008 |
200,154 | 7,641 | 117,877 | 2,167 | 16,200 | 4,155 |
Nov 2008 |
200,110 | 7,697 | 123,329 | 1,821 | 16,072 | 4,584 |
Dec 2008 |
205,755 | 7,565 | 127,836 | 1,800 | 16,332 | 4,820 |
Jan 2009 |
171,218 | 7,644 | 128,190 | 1,527 | 15,621 | 3,024 |
Feb 2009 |
178,004 | 7,836 | 125,775 | 1,531 | 15,490 | 3,243 |
Mar 2009 |
185,334 | 7,799 | 128,670 | 1,657 | 15,380 | 3,456 |
Apr 2009 |
178,569 | 7,673 | 128,181 | 2,404 | 15,203 | 3,153 |
May 2009 |
180,513 | 7,881 | 135,401 | 3,120 | 15,218 | 3,563 |
Jun 2009 |
188,916 | 7,595 | 139,245 | 3,490 | 14,915 | 3,709 |
Jul 2009 |
179,681 | 7,563 | 140,245 | 3,638 | 14,773 | 3,121 |
Aug 2009 |
186,297 | 7,643 | 135,328 | 3,510 | 14,996 | 3,132 |
Sep 2009 |
194,154 | 7,494 | 121,737 | 2,977 | 15,016 | 3,420 |
Oct 2009 |
184,078 | 7,558 | 119,629 | 2,151 | 15,162 | 3,404 |
Nov 2009 |
192,586 | 8,142 | 123,332 | 1,845 | 15,161 | 3,697 |
Dec 2009 |
199,698 | 7,529 | 129,448 | 1,842 | 15,446 | 3,561 |
Jan 2010 |
181,308 | 7,120 | 129,606 | 1,454 | 14,925 | 2,677 |
Feb 2010 |
189,435 | 7,326 | 123,987 | 1,460 | 14,896 | 3,008 |
Mar 2010 |
195,848 | 7,107 | 125,215 | 1,566 | 15,049 | 3,203 |
Apr 2010 |
187,747 | 7,019 | 126,518 | 2,342 | 15,338 | 3,226 |
May 2010 |
191,877 | 7,190 | 132,698 | 3,073 | 15,484 | 3,475 |
Jun 2010 |
198,481 | 7,015 | 136,412 | 3,427 | 15,724 | 3,871 |
Jul 2010 |
192,541 | 6,895 | 135,064 | 3,515 | 15,648 | 2,929 |
Aug 2010 |
203,600 | 6,984 | 131,255 | 3,343 | 15,849 | 3,074 |
Sep 2010 |
214,437 | 6,935 | 118,614 | 2,757 | 15,819 | 3,619 |
Oct 2010 |
198,996 | 6,930 | 114,652 | 2,030 | 16,281 | 2,757 |
Nov 2010 |
203,228 | 7,110 | 120,112 | 1,750 | 16,342 | 2,835 |
Dec 2010 |
214,026 | 6,975 | 123,362 | 1,635 | 16,520 | 3,092 |
Jan 2011 |
191,683 | 6,836 | 122,808 | 1,462 | 16,155 | 2,534 |
Feb 2011 |
196,554 | 6,860 | 115,918 | 1,462 | 16,361 | 2,717 |
Mar 2011 |
202,903 | 6,775 | 116,208 | 1,552 | 16,351 | 3,581 |
Apr 2011 |
197,910 | 6,665 | 117,711 | 2,281 | 15,958 | 2,618 |
May 2011 |
199,140 | 6,690 | 124,896 | 2,976 | 15,860 | 2,647 |
Jun 2011 |
195,748 | 6,555 | 130,960 | 3,313 | 15,858 | 2,612 |
Jul 2011 |
195,419 | 6,681 | 132,844 | 3,497 | 15,618 | 2,612 |
Aug 2011 |
201,171 | 6,660 | 127,083 | 3,330 | 15,801 | 2,797 |
Sep 2011 |
198,904 | 6,506 | 115,674 | 2,775 | 15,679 | 2,786 |
Oct 2011 |
204,026 | 6,354 | 112,075 | 1,962 | 15,798 | 2,596 |
Nov 2011 |
205,215 | 6,397 | 118,129 | 1,678 | 15,642 | 2,697 |
Dec 2011 |
203,884 | 6,389 | 120,558 | 1,616 | 15,647 | 2,658 |
Jan 2012 |
189,757 | 6,177 | 120,012 | 1,429 | 15,581 | 2,486 |
Feb 2012 |
196,952 | 6,181 | 114,645 | 1,470 | 15,584 | 2,737 |
Mar 2012 |
199,492 | 6,110 | 117,986 | 1,642 | 15,598 | 2,795 |
Apr 2012 |
204,421 | 6,215 | 119,236 | 2,437 | 15,472 | 2,753 |
May 2012 |
208,233 | 6,212 | 126,179 | 3,110 | 15,552 | 3,097 |
Jun 2012 |
200,920 | 6,152 | 131,044 | 3,452 | 15,529 | 2,575 |
Jul 2012 |
202,891 | 6,255 | 132,789 | 3,489 | 15,424 | 2,764 |
Aug 2012 |
209,085 | 6,317 | 127,462 | 3,314 | 15,463 | 3,307 |
Sep 2012 |
202,322 | 6,201 | 116,763 | 2,639 | 15,715 | 3,018 |
Oct 2012 |
209,583 | 6,155 | 118,415 | 1,985 | 16,543 | 2,869 |
Nov 2012 |
219,520 | 6,257 | 124,971 | 1,747 | 16,449 | 3,063 |
Dec 2012 |
216,172 | 6,205 | 128,030 | 1,665 | 16,537 | 2,979 |
Jan 2013 |
196,687 | 6,021 | 124,622 | 1,151 | 15,818 | 2,494 |
Feb 2013 |
205,265 | 6,155 | 120,588 | 1,131 | 15,848 | 2,599 |
Mar 2013 |
205,601 | 6,043 | 121,902 | 1,249 | 15,713 | 2,465 |
Apr 2013 |
207,712 | 6,155 | 125,732 | 1,906 | 15,641 | 2,641 |
May 2013 |
209,218 | 6,151 | 133,605 | 2,580 | 15,522 | 2,791 |
Jun 2013 |
210,033 | 6,066 | 139,128 | 2,933 | 15,384 | 2,478 |
Jul 2013 |
205,289 | 6,139 | 137,641 | 3,066 | 14,894 | 2,345 |
Aug 2013 |
209,453 | 6,153 | 133,426 | 2,943 | 15,183 | 2,422 |
Sep 2013 |
212,173 | 6,075 | 119,370 | 2,443 | 15,041 | 2,400 |
Oct 2013 |
220,482 | 6,317 | 118,309 | 1,811 | 15,226 | 2,481 |
Nov 2013 |
227,686 | 6,376 | 124,689 | 1,475 | 15,469 | 2,723 |
Dec 2013 |
218,898 | 6,317 | 130,176 | 1,365 | 15,533 | 2,691 |
Jan 2014 |
207,383 | 7,062 | 128,280 | 1,085 | 15,487 | 2,575 |
Feb 2014 |
210,635 | 7,128 | 124,530 | 1,114 | 14,768 | 2,758 |
Mar 2014 |
214,258 | 7,272 | 125,045 | 1,207 | 14,802 | 2,535 |
Apr 2014 |
215,208 | 7,460 | 127,364 | 1,904 | 14,937 | 2,474 |
May 2014 |
211,971 | 7,388 | 131,882 | 2,594 | 14,857 | 2,603 |
Jun 2014 |
211,448 | 7,428 | 137,211 | 2,861 | 14,814 | 2,484 |
Jul 2014 |
207,741 | 7,438 | 136,560 | 2,940 | 14,522 | 3,091 |
Aug 2014 |
214,649 | 7,554 | 131,838 | 2,802 | 14,640 | 2,903 |
Sep 2014 |
212,089 | 7,500 | 117,597 | 2,270 | 14,556 | 2,557 |
Oct 2014 |
220,243 | 7,477 | 117,130 | 1,817 | 14,729 | 2,758 |
Nov 2014 |
221,330 | 7,568 | 122,593 | 1,428 | 14,964 | 3,509 |
Dec 2014 |
217,932 | 7,505 | 130,010 | 1,329 | 14,931 | 3,083 |
Jan 2015 |
204,659 | 7,188 | 127,743 | 1,138 | 15,055 | 2,846 |
Feb 2015 |
219,004 | 7,325 | 126,514 | 1,132 | 15,257 | 3,391 |
Mar 2015 |
219,044 | 7,347 | 128,087 | 1,219 | 15,073 | 2,967 |
Apr 2015 |
222,562 | 7,347 | 131,295 | 2,008 | 15,143 | 2,867 |
May 2015 |
226,895 | 7,402 | 137,379 | 2,543 | 15,159 | 3,120 |
Jun 2015 |
227,137 | 7,387 | 140,609 | 2,809 | 15,096 | 3,290 |
Jul 2015 |
224,208 | 7,325 | 144,891 | 2,943 | 14,897 | 3,246 |
Aug 2015 |
228,244 | 7,334 | 139,464 | 2,836 | 15,111 | 2,860 |
Sep 2015 |
227,770 | 7,148 | 124,796 | 2,286 | 15,101 | 2,864 |
Oct 2015 |
240,824 | 7,219 | 125,445 | 1,813 | 15,194 | 3,184 |
Nov 2015 |
248,875 | 7,430 | 131,415 | 1,399 | 15,572 | 3,023 |
Dec 2015 |
241,368 | 7,192 | 144,581 | 1,331 | 15,266 | 2,958 |
Jan 2016 |
232,821 | 7,062 | 139,679 | 1,124 | 14,917 | 2,768 |
Feb 2016 |
251,392 | 7,227 | 134,549 | 1,120 | 15,216 | 2,926 |
Mar 2016 |
242,723 | 7,221 | 135,265 | 1,390 | 15,183 | 3,006 |
Apr 2016 |
260,631 | 7,473 | 137,701 | 2,092 | 14,586 | 2,896 |
May 2016 |
261,004 | 7,575 | 144,420 | 2,544 | 14,759 | 3,245 |
Jun 2016 |
249,607 | 7,518 | 149,811 | 2,923 | 14,763 | 2,782 |
In June 2016, there were 149,811 people employed in motion picture theaters, except drive-ins, up from 142,543 in June 2006. Over that 10-year period, the low point of employment in the industry occurred in October 2011, when it was 112,075
Employees in Motion picture and video distribution made an average annual wage of $130,171 in 2015, up from $74,850 in 2005. Employees in Motion picture and video production made an average annual wage of $94,355 in 2015, up from $76,764 in 2005.
Year | Motion picture and video production | Motion picture and video distribution | Motion picture theaters, except drive-ins | Drive-in motion picture theaters | Teleproduction and postproduction services | Other motion picture and video industries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 |
$76,764 | $74,850 | $10,461 | $23,418 | $74,507 | $64,518 |
2006 |
78,567 | 75,736 | 10,864 | 17,392 | 77,967 | 78,004 |
2007 |
80,008 | 91,178 | 11,380 | 19,364 | 79,351 | 74,423 |
2008 |
80,184 | 97,751 | 11,606 | 22,196 | 91,081 | 61,640 |
2009 |
84,007 | 97,843 | 11,816 | 16,749 | 90,873 | 67,231 |
2010 |
85,050 | 106,816 | 12,084 | 17,199 | 96,072 | 67,756 |
2011 |
86,804 | 105,409 | 12,353 | 18,895 | 99,883 | 79,099 |
2012 |
89,340 | 118,689 | 12,584 | 16,728 | 106,187 | 79,013 |
2013 |
86,998 | 122,424 | 12,596 | 16,716 | 101,985 | 69,066 |
2014 |
95,276 | 129,997 | 13,161 | 10,814 | 89,807 | 59,638 |
2015 |
94,355 | 130,171 | 13,345 | 11,429 | 95,385 | 55,004 |
These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages and are not seasonally adjusted. For industry employment and wage data at the national, state, county, and metropolitan area levels, see the data viewer tool or the QCEW Open Data Access.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, A look at employment and wages in the film industry at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/a-look-at-employment-and-wages-in-the-film-industry.htm (visited October 03, 2024).