EXPLORE A CAREER FAMILY · SOC 27

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and MediaFind the work that fits.

Discover creative, performance, design, communications, media and sports occupations.

National occupation wages · across employer industries

Some source occupations publish hourly wages without annual figures. Preserve that unit; freelance fees, royalties and self-employed earnings are not established by employee wage estimates.

Discover the occupations.

45 careers · Page 2 of 2

Occupational wages · May 2025
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Interpreters and Translators

Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

National median annual wage$60,170Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Lighting Technicians

Set up, maintain, and dismantle light fixtures, lighting control devices, and the associated lighting electrical and rigging equipment used for photography, television, film, video, and live productions. May focus or operate light fixtures, or attach color filters or other lighting accessories.

National median annual wage$68,060Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Media Programming Directors

Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.

National median annual wage$90,360Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Media Technical Directors/Managers

Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.

National median annual wage$90,360Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other

All media and communication equipment workers not listed separately.

National median annual wage$70,720Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Media and Communication Workers, All Other

All media and communication workers not listed separately.

National median annual wage$73,620Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

Plan and erect commercial displays, such as those in windows and interiors of retail stores and at trade exhibitions.

National median annual wage$39,390Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Music Directors and Composers

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

National median annual wage$73,710Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Musicians and Singers

Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.

National median hourly wage$47.80Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

National median annual wage$62,200Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Photographers

Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.

National median annual wage$44,660Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.

National median annual wage$76,910Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and 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.

National median annual wage$90,360Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

National median annual wage$74,750Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Set and Exhibit Designers

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

National median annual wage$75,240Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Sound Engineering Technicians

Assemble and operate equipment to record, synchronize, mix, edit, or reproduce sound, including music, voices, or sound effects, for theater, video, film, television, podcasts, sporting events, and other productions.

National median annual wage$73,130Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

National median annual wage$102,030Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Talent Directors

Audition and interview performers to select most appropriate talent for parts in stage, television, radio, or motion picture productions.

National median annual wage$90,360Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

National median annual wage$90,390Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials

Officiate at competitive athletic or sporting events. Detect infractions of rules and decide penalties according to established regulations. Includes all sporting officials, referees, and competition judges.

National median annual wage$40,710Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Writers and Authors

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

National median annual wage$76,910Source occupation group · May 2025
Explore career
MAKE A MORE INFORMED PAY DECISION

Start with the occupation. Then choose your place.

Each profile explains the work, typical tasks and source occupation group. Where local wages are available, open the profile’s wage-market directory to explore a retained state, metro or nonmetro reference. Employer salary pages describe their own evidence separately.

Explore pay-planning tools
DIFFERENT WORK. MORE POSSIBILITIES.

Explore a family of careers.

Browse related occupations across employer industries, from healthcare and skilled trades to education, production and public service.

Browse all 23 career families

About these career references

Occupation descriptions are adapted from the O*NET® 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), under CC BY 4.0. Wages.fyi organizes the profiles into career-family guides and adds navigation and explanatory context. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Database license and attribution requirements.

Where shown, occupational wages use the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics reference available through official O*NET wage exports. A detailed career may share a broader wage group. Missing values remain unavailable; percentiles are not career levels or starting-salary promises. Read the methodology.