Interpret roles for stage, film, television, voice, commercials, and other live or recorded productions.
You may also see this posted as: Actress, Comedian, Performer, Comic, Community Theater Actor, Ensemble Member.
Theaters, studios, sets, rehearsal rooms, and changing locations.
Irregular and project-based; auditions and gaps between jobs are common.
Artistic
creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
Enterprising
leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action
O*NET job zone 2 of 5
Some preparation—often a high school credential and on-the-job learning—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 27.9% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Some college, no degree
Training path: Classes and performance experience; no single required credential.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
No license required to start in most places.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
BLS reports acting pay by the hour because projects and workweeks are irregular, so we do not invent an annual salary.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 27-2011. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.