Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Salaries

The BLS classifies 41 detailed occupations in this group. The 36 with a published median are listed below; the other 5 are not ranked. Across the whole group the BLS reports a median of $62,750 a year and about 2.05 million jobs.

Occupations36

Group median$62,750

Total employment2.05 million

Highest median$114,850

The spread inside the group runs from $37,360 for Floral Designers to $114,850 for Art Directors. Ranking occupations by median is the fastest way to see which roles the market pays most within this field.

The 36 arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations with a published median

Medians are annual, from the BLS May 2025 national estimates. Employment shows the number of jobs in each occupation.

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupations by median annual pay, May 2025
Occupation	Median pay	Employment
Art Directors	$114,850	53,070
Special Effects Artists and Animators	$102,030	19,970
Technical Writers	$90,390	45,500
Producers and Directors	$90,360	143,120
Commercial and Industrial Designers	$83,910	33,490
Fashion Designers	$80,960	21,450
Editors	$77,920	91,690
Writers and Authors	$76,910	47,940
Film and Video Editors	$75,420	25,610
Set and Exhibit Designers	$75,240	10,630
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film	$74,990	21,550
Public Relations Specialists	$74,750	283,380
Music Directors and Composers	$73,710	12,540
Media and Communication Workers, All Other	$73,620	19,590
Sound Engineering Technicians	$73,130	13,080
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners	$72,420	12,870
Artists and Related Workers, All Other	$71,240	6,930
Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other	$70,720	12,450
Lighting Technicians	$68,060	8,900
Interior Designers	$67,190	71,500
Athletes and Sports Competitors	$66,710	15,070
Designers, All Other	$64,950	9,480
Graphic Designers	$62,960	197,830
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$62,200	39,250
Interpreters and Translators	$60,170	52,060
Broadcast Technicians	$59,570	21,110
Audio and Video Technicians	$58,100	70,230
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators	$55,490	11,220
Choreographers	$55,310	2,860
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	$47,340	21,240
Coaches and Scouts	$47,320	248,950
Craft Artists	$46,080	4,580
Photographers	$44,660	51,760
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials	$40,710	15,780
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	$39,390	165,220
Floral Designers	$37,360	40,590

How to read this table

A high median can reflect scarce skills, union coverage, licensing requirements or simply a small, senior workforce. A low median can reflect part-time schedules or a large entry-level tier. Neither is a verdict on the work itself.

Employment matters as much as pay when comparing occupations: a role with 500,000 jobs and a $62,750 median offers far more openings than a niche role paying twice as much.

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