How much does a Motion Picture Projectionist make?
A Motion Picture Projectionist earns a median annual salary of $38,270 in the United States, which works out to roughly $18.40 per hour for full-time work. Most Motion Picture Projectionists earn between $23,390 at the entry level and $88,310 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $30,040 and $77,730 a year.
That is $23,120 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Motion Picture Projectionist salary range by percentile
Half of all Motion Picture Projectionists earn between $30,040 and $77,730 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,390 | $11.25 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $30,040 | $14.44 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $38,270 | $18.40 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $77,730 | $37.37 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $88,310 | $42.46 |
Highest-paying states for Motion Picture Projectionist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New York leads the country for Motion Picture Projectionist pay at $82,260 a year, followed by Illinois ($78,990) and California ($74,840). At the other end, Tennessee posts the lowest median at $22,750 — a gap of $59,510 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $82,260 | $39.55 | +115% |
| 2 | Illinois | $78,990 | $37.98 | +106% |
| 3 | California | $74,840 | $35.98 | +96% |
| 4 | Washington | $39,070 | $18.78 | +2% |
| 5 | Michigan | $37,590 | $18.07 | -2% |
Motion Picture Projectionist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 12 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 1,000 people work as Motion Picture Projectionists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $51,480 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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