Actor demographics and statistics in the US
Actor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates actor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our actor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about actors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,286 actors currently employed in the United States.
- 32.5% of all actors are women, while 67.5% are men.
- The average actor age is 37 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of actors is White (57.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.5%), Black or African American (13.2%) and Unknown (6.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 19% of all actors are LGBT.
- Actors are 73% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Actor demographics by:
Actor gender statistics
32.5% of actors are women and 67.5% of actors are men.
- Male, 67.5%
- Female, 32.5%
Actor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 67.5% |
| Female | 32.5% |
Actor gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,895
Female income
$50,226
Actor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in actor positions over time. Currently, 32.5% of actors are female.
Actor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.82% | 27.18% |
| 2011 | 67.41% | 32.59% |
| 2012 | 72.43% | 27.57% |
| 2013 | 74.87% | 25.13% |
| 2014 | 73.68% | 26.32% |
| 2015 | 67.04% | 32.96% |
| 2016 | 70.86% | 29.14% |
| 2017 | 69.42% | 30.58% |
| 2018 | 67.95% | 32.05% |
| 2019 | 69.46% | 30.54% |
| 2020 | 65.68% | 34.32% |
| 2021 | 67.55% | 32.45% |
Actor related jobs gender ratio
We compared actors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, 19d cavalry scout and baseball player have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Harpist | 8% | 92% |
| Actress | 8% | 92% |
| Modern Dancer | 8% | 92% |
| Actor | 68% | 32% |
| Assistant Varsity Football Coach | 98% | 2% |
| Baseball Player | 98% | 2% |
| 19D Cavalry Scout | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Actor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among actors is White, which makes up 57.0% of all actors. Comparatively, 16.5% of actors are Hispanic or Latino and 13.2% of actors are Black or African American.
- White, 57.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.5%
- Black or African American, 13.2%
- Unknown, 6.6%
- Asian, 6.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Actor race
| Actor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.5% |
| Black or African American | 13.2% |
| Unknown | 6.6% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Actor race and ethnicity over time
See how actor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Actor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.23% | 11.13% | 3.56% | 14.73% |
| 2011 | 63.56% | 12.68% | 4.85% | 14.91% |
| 2012 | 66.55% | 10.23% | 4.63% | 13.36% |
| 2013 | 63.08% | 12.59% | 5.02% | 15.87% |
| 2014 | 64.14% | 10.58% | 6.43% | 15.08% |
| 2015 | 62.74% | 10.05% | 6.98% | 15.64% |
| 2016 | 65.77% | 11.59% | 5.63% | 14.00% |
| 2017 | 64.86% | 11.05% | 5.07% | 14.77% |
| 2018 | 61.92% | 10.65% | 8.08% | 14.40% |
| 2019 | 59.53% | 13.90% | 6.03% | 15.59% |
| 2020 | 58.08% | 10.49% | 6.58% | 19.19% |
| 2021 | 56.98% | 13.24% | 6.47% | 16.48% |
Actor wage gap by race
According to our data, white actors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american actors have the lowest average salary at $49,210.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,131 |
| White | $55,051 |
| Black or African American | $49,210 |
| Asian | $54,933 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $54,417 |
Actor age breakdown
The average age of actors is 30-40 years years old, representing 45% of the actor population.
Actor age breakdown
| Actor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 34% |
| 30-40 years | 45% |
| 20-30 years | 21% |
Actor educational attainment
The most common degree for actors is bachelor's degree, with 61% of actors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 16% and high school diploma degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- High School Diploma, 16%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Actors by degree level
| Actor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| High School Diploma | 16% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Actor jobs you might like
Actor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,473 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,864 |
Actor employment statistics
Most actors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where actors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where actors work.
Actor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 15% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Actor jobs by company type
Employees with the actor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most actors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Actor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 73% |
| Government | 6% |
Actor jobs by industry
The most common industries for actors are media, hospitality and manufacturing.
Actor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 39% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Actor turnover and employment statistics
Actor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for actors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Actor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Actor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 39.74% |
| 2011 | 35.67% |
| 2012 | 39.76% |
| 2013 | 36.77% |
| 2014 | 29.23% |
| 2015 | 26.93% |
| 2016 | 27.31% |
| 2017 | 29.70% |
| 2018 | 27.27% |
| 2019 | 23.64% |
| 2020 | 41.76% |
| 2021 | 44.18% |
Average actor tenure
The average actor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,084 actors resumes in Zippia's database.
Actor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 19% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Actor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of actors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball Umpire | 5.42% | 284 |
| Head Swim Coach | 7.62% | 23,699 |
| Concert Pianist | 8.54% | 116 |
| Comedian | 13.74% | 240 |
| Radio Producer | 14.31% | 11,453 |
| Actor | 19.40% | - |
| Children's Choir Director | 30.45% | 13,013 |
Similar actor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball Umpire | 5.42% | 284 |
| Head Swim Coach | 7.62% | 23,699 |
| Concert Pianist | 8.54% | 116 |
| Comedian | 13.74% | 240 |
| Radio Producer | 14.31% | 11,453 |
| Children's Choir Director | 30.45% | 13,013 |
Foreign languages spoken by actors
The most common foreign language among actors is Spanish at 44.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 15.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 6.5%.
- Spanish, 44.2%
- French, 15.9%
- Italian, 6.5%
- German, 5.9%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- Other, 23.2%
Actor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 44.2% |
| French | 15.9% |
| Italian | 6.5% |
| German | 5.9% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| Other | 23.2% |
