Occupation overview

Motion Picture Projectionists Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for motion picture projectionists is $38,270, or $18.40 per hour. About 1,480 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $82,260 in New York to $22,750 in Tennessee.

Median annual
$38,270
Median hourly
$18.40
Entry level (P10)
$23,390
Top 10% (P90)
$88,310
Employment
1,480
States covered
12

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$23,390
$30,040
$38,270
$77,730
$23,390$38,270$88,310
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $38,270.

Salary by state

All 12 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1New York$82,260$39.552702.98
2Illinois$78,990$37.98——
3California$74,840$35.981901.09
4Washington$39,070$18.78601.64
5Michigan$37,590$18.07——
6Ohio$36,870$17.73500.94
7Arizona$32,890$15.81——
8Texas$31,160$14.98400.31
9Pennsylvania$29,850$14.35400.73
10Missouri$29,140$14.01——
11Iowa$23,210$11.161006.66
12Tennessee$22,750$10.94902.88

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do motion picture projectionists make?

The median annual wage for motion picture projectionists in the United States is $38,270, or $18.40 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $23,390, and the top 10% earn $88,310.

How many motion picture projectionists are employed in the U.S.?

About 1,480 people work as motion picture projectionists nationwide.

Which state pays motion picture projectionists the most?

New York pays the most at a median of $82,260, followed by Illinois ($78,990) and California ($74,840).

Which state pays motion picture projectionists the least?

Tennessee has the lowest median at $22,750.

Where are motion picture projectionists jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Iowa at 6.66×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes