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The national median salary for Motion Picture Projectionists is $38,272 per year ($18.40/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $30,035 and $77,730 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $88,317 per year. There are approximately 1,480 motion picture projectionists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-3.7%
Slower than average
Annual openings
500
per year, on avg
Workforce today
2K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 4 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Motion Picture and Video Industries
NAICS 512100
1K
$34,320
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events
NAICS 711300
100
$88,300
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
NAICS 712100
80
$70,190
Performing Arts Companies
NAICS 711100
60
$46,790
Wage range across top 5 industries: $34,320 to $88,300 (157% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$11.25
$23,400
P25
$14.44
$30,035
P50MEDIAN
$18.40
$38,272
P75
$37.37
$77,730
P90
$42.46
$88,317
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average motion picture projectionists salary?
The national median salary for Motion Picture Projectionists is $38,272 per year ($18.40/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $30,035 and $77,730 annually.
How much do top-earning motion picture projectionists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Motion Picture Projectionists is $88,317 per year ($42.46/hr). The 75th percentile is $77,730 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for motion picture projectionists?
Entry-level Motion Picture Projectionists (10th percentile) earn approximately $23,400 per year ($11.25/hr). The 25th percentile is $30,035 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.