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A look at employment and wages in the film industry
February 27, 2017
The Academy Awards, or "Oscars," awards ceremony was held yesterday to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements in the U.S. film industry. Today we look at employment and wages in the movie production and movie theatres industries. In June 2016, the latest date for which data are available, there were 249,607 people employed in the motion picture and video production industry, up from 192,769 in June 2006.
Employment in motion picture production, distribution, and exhibition, June 2006–June 2016
Month
Motion picture and video production
Motion picture and video distribution
Motion picture theaters, except drive-ins
Drive-in motion picture theaters
Teleproduction and postproduction services
Other motion picture and video industries
Jun 2006
192,769
8,524
142,543
4,305
15,871
4,018
Jul 2006
183,813
8,419
141,016
4,407
15,780
3,481
Aug 2006
189,510
8,474
135,533
4,223
15,872
3,534
Sep 2006
191,907
8,334
122,611
3,605
15,963
3,629
Oct 2006
184,423
8,291
119,992
2,835
15,929
3,527
Nov 2006
191,480
8,353
125,210
2,429
16,073
3,675
Dec 2006
200,034
8,323
129,970
2,432
16,225
3,740
Jan 2007
181,355
7,286
126,668
1,691
15,164
3,398
Feb 2007
191,943
7,425
123,395
1,728
15,398
3,838
Mar 2007
197,679
7,397
125,783
1,880
15,375
4,419
Apr 2007
185,655
7,446
129,675
2,691
15,517
4,661
May 2007
194,097
7,468
143,212
3,711
15,592
3,864
Jun 2007
201,276
7,432
147,303
3,974
15,626
3,925
Jul 2007
189,545
7,432
145,081
4,009
15,502
4,451
Aug 2007
201,179
7,561
140,032
3,829
15,486
4,596
Sep 2007
202,331
7,570
125,614
3,183
15,500
5,007
Oct 2007
185,902
7,626
120,242
2,359
15,732
4,563
Nov 2007
193,815
7,724
124,636
2,019
15,743
4,415
Dec 2007
203,366
7,763
129,801
1,986
15,823
4,770
Jan 2008
176,787
7,557
126,436
1,646
16,014
3,805
Feb 2008
191,833
7,794
123,457
1,568
16,324
5,041
Mar 2008
205,315
7,690
124,706
1,686
16,110
5,483
Apr 2008
205,180
7,706
125,783
2,410
16,088
5,814
May 2008
214,372
7,766
132,720
3,292
16,065
5,958
Jun 2008
218,519
7,819
138,771
3,579
16,097
5,114
Jul 2008
195,235
7,813
140,278
3,666
16,200
4,935
Aug 2008
202,271
7,779
136,512
3,503
16,191
5,374
Sep 2008
212,279
7,689
120,131
2,881
16,211
5,656
Oct 2008
200,154
7,641
117,877
2,167
16,200
4,155
Nov 2008
200,110
7,697
123,329
1,821
16,072
4,584
Dec 2008
205,755
7,565
127,836
1,800
16,332
4,820
Jan 2009
171,218
7,644
128,190
1,527
15,621
3,024
Feb 2009
178,004
7,836
125,775
1,531
15,490
3,243
Mar 2009
185,334
7,799
128,670
1,657
15,380
3,456
Apr 2009
178,569
7,673
128,181
2,404
15,203
3,153
May 2009
180,513
7,881
135,401
3,120
15,218
3,563
Jun 2009
188,916
7,595
139,245
3,490
14,915
3,709
Jul 2009
179,681
7,563
140,245
3,638
14,773
3,121
Aug 2009
186,297
7,643
135,328
3,510
14,996
3,132
Sep 2009
194,154
7,494
121,737
2,977
15,016
3,420
Oct 2009
184,078
7,558
119,629
2,151
15,162
3,404
Nov 2009
192,586
8,142
123,332
1,845
15,161
3,697
Dec 2009
199,698
7,529
129,448
1,842
15,446
3,561
Jan 2010
181,308
7,120
129,606
1,454
14,925
2,677
Feb 2010
189,435
7,326
123,987
1,460
14,896
3,008
Mar 2010
195,848
7,107
125,215
1,566
15,049
3,203
Apr 2010
187,747
7,019
126,518
2,342
15,338
3,226
May 2010
191,877
7,190
132,698
3,073
15,484
3,475
Jun 2010
198,481
7,015
136,412
3,427
15,724
3,871
Jul 2010
192,541
6,895
135,064
3,515
15,648
2,929
Aug 2010
203,600
6,984
131,255
3,343
15,849
3,074
Sep 2010
214,437
6,935
118,614
2,757
15,819
3,619
Oct 2010
198,996
6,930
114,652
2,030
16,281
2,757
Nov 2010
203,228
7,110
120,112
1,750
16,342
2,835
Dec 2010
214,026
6,975
123,362
1,635
16,520
3,092
Jan 2011
191,683
6,836
122,808
1,462
16,155
2,534
Feb 2011
196,554
6,860
115,918
1,462
16,361
2,717
Mar 2011
202,903
6,775
116,208
1,552
16,351
3,581
Apr 2011
197,910
6,665
117,711
2,281
15,958
2,618
May 2011
199,140
6,690
124,896
2,976
15,860
2,647
Jun 2011
195,748
6,555
130,960
3,313
15,858
2,612
Jul 2011
195,419
6,681
132,844
3,497
15,618
2,612
Aug 2011
201,171
6,660
127,083
3,330
15,801
2,797
Sep 2011
198,904
6,506
115,674
2,775
15,679
2,786
Oct 2011
204,026
6,354
112,075
1,962
15,798
2,596
Nov 2011
205,215
6,397
118,129
1,678
15,642
2,697
Dec 2011
203,884
6,389
120,558
1,616
15,647
2,658
Jan 2012
189,757
6,177
120,012
1,429
15,581
2,486
Feb 2012
196,952
6,181
114,645
1,470
15,584
2,737
Mar 2012
199,492
6,110
117,986
1,642
15,598
2,795
Apr 2012
204,421
6,215
119,236
2,437
15,472
2,753
May 2012
208,233
6,212
126,179
3,110
15,552
3,097
Jun 2012
200,920
6,152
131,044
3,452
15,529
2,575
Jul 2012
202,891
6,255
132,789
3,489
15,424
2,764
Aug 2012
209,085
6,317
127,462
3,314
15,463
3,307
Sep 2012
202,322
6,201
116,763
2,639
15,715
3,018
Oct 2012
209,583
6,155
118,415
1,985
16,543
2,869
Nov 2012
219,520
6,257
124,971
1,747
16,449
3,063
Dec 2012
216,172
6,205
128,030
1,665
16,537
2,979
Jan 2013
196,687
6,021
124,622
1,151
15,818
2,494
Feb 2013
205,265
6,155
120,588
1,131
15,848
2,599
Mar 2013
205,601
6,043
121,902
1,249
15,713
2,465
Apr 2013
207,712
6,155
125,732
1,906
15,641
2,641
May 2013
209,218
6,151
133,605
2,580
15,522
2,791
Jun 2013
210,033
6,066
139,128
2,933
15,384
2,478
Jul 2013
205,289
6,139
137,641
3,066
14,894
2,345
Aug 2013
209,453
6,153
133,426
2,943
15,183
2,422
Sep 2013
212,173
6,075
119,370
2,443
15,041
2,400
Oct 2013
220,482
6,317
118,309
1,811
15,226
2,481
Nov 2013
227,686
6,376
124,689
1,475
15,469
2,723
Dec 2013
218,898
6,317
130,176
1,365
15,533
2,691
Jan 2014
207,383
7,062
128,280
1,085
15,487
2,575
Feb 2014
210,635
7,128
124,530
1,114
14,768
2,758
Mar 2014
214,258
7,272
125,045
1,207
14,802
2,535
Apr 2014
215,208
7,460
127,364
1,904
14,937
2,474
May 2014
211,971
7,388
131,882
2,594
14,857
2,603
Jun 2014
211,448
7,428
137,211
2,861
14,814
2,484
Jul 2014
207,741
7,438
136,560
2,940
14,522
3,091
Aug 2014
214,649
7,554
131,838
2,802
14,640
2,903
Sep 2014
212,089
7,500
117,597
2,270
14,556
2,557
Oct 2014
220,243
7,477
117,130
1,817
14,729
2,758
Nov 2014
221,330
7,568
122,593
1,428
14,964
3,509
Dec 2014
217,932
7,505
130,010
1,329
14,931
3,083
Jan 2015
204,659
7,188
127,743
1,138
15,055
2,846
Feb 2015
219,004
7,325
126,514
1,132
15,257
3,391
Mar 2015
219,044
7,347
128,087
1,219
15,073
2,967
Apr 2015
222,562
7,347
131,295
2,008
15,143
2,867
May 2015
226,895
7,402
137,379
2,543
15,159
3,120
Jun 2015
227,137
7,387
140,609
2,809
15,096
3,290
Jul 2015
224,208
7,325
144,891
2,943
14,897
3,246
Aug 2015
228,244
7,334
139,464
2,836
15,111
2,860
Sep 2015
227,770
7,148
124,796
2,286
15,101
2,864
Oct 2015
240,824
7,219
125,445
1,813
15,194
3,184
Nov 2015
248,875
7,430
131,415
1,399
15,572
3,023
Dec 2015
241,368
7,192
144,581
1,331
15,266
2,958
Jan 2016
232,821
7,062
139,679
1,124
14,917
2,768
Feb 2016
251,392
7,227
134,549
1,120
15,216
2,926
Mar 2016
242,723
7,221
135,265
1,390
15,183
3,006
Apr 2016
260,631
7,473
137,701
2,092
14,586
2,896
May 2016
261,004
7,575
144,420
2,544
14,759
3,245
Jun 2016
249,607
7,518
149,811
2,923
14,763
2,782
In June 2016, there were 149,811 people employed in motion picture theaters, except drive-ins, up from 142,543 in June 2006. Over that 10-year period, the low point of employment in the industry occurred in October 2011, when it was 112,075
Employees in Motion picture and video distribution made an average annual wage of $130,171 in 2015, up from $74,850 in 2005. Employees in Motion picture and video production made an average annual wage of $94,355 in 2015, up from $76,764 in 2005.
United States Department of Labor
