How much does a Choreographer make?
The median pay for a Choreographer in the United States is $55,310 per year — about $26.59 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $34,090, while the most experienced Choreographers in the top 10% earn $138,630.
That is $6,080 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Choreographer salary range by percentile
Half of all Choreographers earn between $41,600 and $75,710 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,090 | $16.39 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $41,600 | $20.00 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $55,310 | $26.59 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $75,710 | $36.40 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $138,630 | $66.65 |
Highest-paying states for Choreographer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New York leads the country for Choreographer pay at $173,100 a year, followed by California ($75,000) and Minnesota ($74,810). At the other end, Utah posts the lowest median at $33,640 — a gap of $139,460 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $173,100 | $83.22 | +213% |
| 2 | California | $75,000 | $36.06 | +36% |
| 3 | Minnesota | $74,810 | $35.97 | +35% |
| 4 | Maryland | $69,140 | $33.24 | +25% |
| 5 | Ohio | $66,910 | $32.17 | +21% |
Choreographer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 14 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 3,000 people work as Choreographers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $73,100 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other arts & media roles with similar pay.