Actors

SOC Code: 27-2011
Also known as:
Actor, Actor Understudy, Actress, Background Actor, Character Artist
Median Annual Salary
N/A
+0.3% growth (2024-2034)
6K
Openings/Year
57K
Current Jobs

What Actors Do

Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or film productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.

💰 Salary

N/A
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+0.3%
Little or no change

🎓 Education

Some college, no degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

6K
Projected average per year

📚 On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training
Expected training period

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

57,000

Projected Employment (2034)

57,100

Related Careers

Producers and directors

$83,480 • +4.9% growth
View →

Choreographers

$55,600 • +6.1% growth
View →

Music directors and composers

$63,670 • -0.3% growth
View →

Musicians and singers

N/A • +1.1% growth
View →

Writers and authors

$72,270 • +3.6% growth
View →

Top Skills Required

Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Critical Thinking

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
  • Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
  • Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
  • Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
  • Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
  • Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.
  • Attend auditions and casting calls to audition for roles.
  • Sing or dance during dramatic or comedic performances.
  • Work with other crew members responsible for lighting, costumes, make-up, and props.
  • Tell jokes, perform comic dances, songs and skits, impersonate mannerisms and voices of others, contort face, and use other devices to amuse audiences.

Technology & Tools

Facebook Linux Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word TikTok Zoom

📚 Entry-Level Education

Some college, no degree
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Less than High School
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Actors

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a actors:

Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General

10,778 degrees awarded • 848 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Acting

1,859 degrees awarded • 110 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Musical Theatre

1,157 degrees awarded • 120 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other

437 degrees awarded • 48 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Directing and Theatrical Production

213 degrees awarded • 45 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Theatre and Dance

122 degrees awarded • 11 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Comedy Writing and Performance

35 degrees awarded • 2 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Actors

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become actors.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 79 A+
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 59 A+
3 New York University New York, NY 454 A
4 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 170 A
5 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 108 A
6 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 101 A
7 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 82 A
8 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 80 A
9 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 78 A
10 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 69 A
11 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 67 A
12 Boston University Boston, MA 45 A
13 Yale University New Haven, CT 41 A
14 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 39 A
15 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 37 A
16 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 36 A
17 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 34 A
18 University of Georgia Athens, GA 34 A
19 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 97 B+
20 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 81 B+

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do actors make?
The median annual salary for actors is N/A.
What education do actors need?
Most actors positions require a some college, no degree. Common degree programs include Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General, Acting, Musical Theatre.
Is becoming actors a good career choice?
Actors is projected to see +0.3% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 6,300 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for actors?
Top colleges for aspiring actors include University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, New York University, University of Southern California, Northwestern University. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to actors?
Actors may also be known as: Actor, Actor Understudy, Actress, Background Actor, Character Artist, Character Performer, Comedian, Comic, Community Theater Actor, Double, Dramatic Reader, Elocutionist, Ensemble Member, Entertainer, Extra, Illusionist, Impersonator, Mime, Minstrel, Monologist. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.