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Projectionist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,270median pay per year, or $18.40 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $23,390lowest 10% earn less
  2. $30,04025th percentile
  3. $38,270median
  4. $77,73075th percentile
  5. $88,310top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Motion picture projectionists had a median pay of $38,270 a year, which is below the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. BLS projects the number of jobs to fall over the next decade, while all occupations are projected to grow[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
-6.2%[3]
Openings per year
300[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do projectionists make?

The median wage for motion picture projectionists was $38,270 a year, or $18.40 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $51,480 a year, or $24.75 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[2].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $23,390 a year ($11.25 an hour), and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $30,040 ($14.44 an hour)[5][9]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $77,730 ($37.37 an hour), and the top 10% earned more than $88,310 ($42.46 an hour)[5][9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. This is a very small group. BLS counted about 1,480 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[5] $23,390
25th percentile[5] $30,040
Median[1] $38,270
Mean[8] $51,480
75th percentile[5] $77,730
90th percentile[5] $88,310

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 12 states[13]. New York had the highest at $82,260, followed by Illinois at $78,990 and California at $74,840[13]. Tennessee had the lowest at $22,750, with Iowa at $23,210 just above it[13]. Job counts in each state are small. New York had 270 jobs, California 190, Iowa 100, Tennessee 90 and Washington 60[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the highest median at $92,180[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area followed at $82,270[15]. New York had the most jobs in a metro area, at 230, and Los Angeles had 100[16].

Show median pay in 12 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New York[13]$82,260270
Illinois$78,990n/a
California$74,840190
Washington$39,07060
Michigan$37,590n/a
Ohio$36,87050
Arizona$32,890n/a
Texas$31,16040
Pennsylvania$29,85040
Missouri$29,140n/a
Iowa$23,210100
Tennessee$22,75090

How to become a projectionist

BLS describes a short path in:

In an O*NET survey of 25 workers, 61% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 20% said less than a high school diploma[17]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture. Job titles reported by workers include Cinema Projectionist, Digital Projectionist, Booth Operator and Projection Technician[18].

What projectionists do

They set up and run projection and sound equipment for showing films[19]. Tasks reported to O*NET include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 6.2% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 1,500 to 1,400 jobs, a change of about 100[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[3].

Even so, BLS expects about 300 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 10% of workers leave the labor force and 13.8% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a small job with a low barrier to entry. No formal credential and only short-term on-the-job training are typical[7]. The median pay of $38,270 is below the all-occupations median of $50,980[1][2]. Jobs are projected to decline 6.2% while all occupations grow 3.5%[3][4]. Openings still come up, about 300 a year, because workers leave or change jobs[6]. Pay differs a great deal by location, so check local numbers before you decide.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a projectionist make an hour?
The median wage for motion picture projectionists was $18.40 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $24.75 an hour[1][8].
What education do you need to be a projectionist?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for entry, with short-term on-the-job training[7].
What is the highest paying state for projectionists?
New York, with a median of $82,260 a year, followed by Illinois at $78,990[13].
Is projectionist a growing job?
No. BLS projects a 6.2% decline from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][4].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Motion Picture Projectionists in the US was $38,270 per year and $18.40 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Motion Picture Projectionists is projected to decline 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,500 to 1,400 jobs (a change of -100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Motion Picture Projectionists: 10th percentile $23,390, 25th percentile $30,040, 75th percentile $77,730, 90th percentile $88,310. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Motion Picture Projectionists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Motion Picture Projectionists: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Motion Picture Projectionists was $51,480 per year and $24.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Motion Picture Projectionists: 10th percentile $11.25, 25th percentile $14.44, 75th percentile $37.37, 90th percentile $42.46. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,480 people were employed as Motion Picture Projectionists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Motion Picture Projectionists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Motion Picture Projectionists jobs: New York 270; California 190; Iowa 100; Tennessee 90; Washington 60. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Motion Picture Projectionists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $92,180; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $82,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Motion Picture Projectionists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 230 (median $82,270); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 100 (median $92,180). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 39-3021.00 survey of workers (25 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 61%, Less than a High School Diploma 20%, Bachelor's Degree 10%, Some College Courses 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 39-3021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Booth Operator, Cinema Projectionist, Digital Projectionist, Film Specialist, Motion Picture Projectionist, Movie Projectionist, Projection Technician, Projectionist. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of Motion Picture Projectionists. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for Motion Picture Projectionists. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Motion Picture Projectionists: 10% of workers leave the labor force each year and 13.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.