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Creative & Media

Producers and Directors

Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.

Median salary (BLS)

$90,360

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$46k – $199k

Job outlook

+5% (faster than average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 4 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $91,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Producers and Directors

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

Plan my path to this →

Typical progression

  1. Producers and Directors Intern

    Internship

    $36,000

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Producers and Directors

    Entry / Junior

    $45,780

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Producers and Directors

    Established

    $90,360

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Producers and Directors

    Senior

    $144,450

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene.
  • •Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized.
  • •Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.
  • •Research production topics using the internet, video archives, and other informational sources.
  • •Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Creative & Media

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.