Gambling Dealers
Median $34,320
Occupation · SOC 39-3021
Motion Picture Projectionists: pay and where the jobs are
What motion picture projectionists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$38,270 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $51,480
- Median hourly wage
- $18.40
- Mean hourly wage
- $24.75
- Employment
- 1,480
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 39-3021.
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See where your pay falls among motion picture projectionists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do motion picture projectionists make?
The median annual wage for motion picture projectionists was $38,270 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $23,390 and the highest-paid 10% more than $88,310. As an hourly rate, the median is $18.40. About 1,480 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in New York ($82,260), Illinois ($78,990) and California ($74,840). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Illinois.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for motion picture projectionists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23,390 | $11.25 | $1,949 | $1,739 |
| 25th percentile | $30,040 | $14.44 | $2,503 | $2,193 |
| Median | $38,270 | $18.40 | $3,189 | $2,744 |
| 75th percentile | $77,730 | $37.37 | $6,478 | $5,293 |
| 90th percentile | $88,310 | $42.46 | $7,359 | $5,913 |
Motion Picture Projectionists: pay by state
12 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$60,660 take-home in national prices
2
$57,883 take-home in national prices
3
$52,154 take-home in national prices
Where a median motion picture projectionist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 270 | $82,260 | $36,200 | $99,400 | $62,468 | $57,883 |
| Illinois | Not published | $78,990 | $67,990 | $87,730 | $60,634 | $60,660 |
| California | 190 | $74,840 | $34,470 | $134,010 | $57,745 | $52,154 |
| Washington | 60 | $39,070 | $34,670 | $59,630 | $33,031 | $30,866 |
| Michigan | Not published | $37,590 | $25,960 | $56,410 | $31,037 | $32,257 |
| Ohio | 50 | $36,870 | $23,460 | $46,620 | $31,241 | $33,675 |
| Arizona | Not published | $32,890 | $30,580 | $53,580 | $28,179 | $27,989 |
| Texas | 40 | $31,160 | $26,470 | $37,740 | $27,217 | $28,042 |
| Pennsylvania | 40 | $29,850 | $23,580 | $34,550 | $25,227 | $25,855 |
| Missouri | Not published | $29,140 | $28,600 | $40,610 | $25,162 | $27,706 |
| Iowa | 100 | $23,210 | $21,250 | $41,600 | $20,493 | $23,351 |
| Tennessee | 90 | $22,750 | $18,540 | $39,890 | $20,345 | $22,145 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 39-3021. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.