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What is an associate producer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Michael Neal Ph.D.
introduction image

An associate producer works for the entertainment industry under the supervision of a producer, helping him or her to create television programs or movies. Associate producers assist in working the scripts, see to it that props and equipment are ready and functional on the set, and they occasionally help the editor to make some final calls.

They contribute to preparing and pitching proposals for programs and stories, too. They collect ideas and material for the editorial content of programs, and managing the marketing campaigns of the programs and films is also their responsibility, as well as taking care of airing and screening copies.

Associate producer positions may sometimes be entry-level jobs. You will probably need a college degree in film, television, or media studies and a knack for screenwriting. Some familiarity with production software will come in handy as well, and of course, connections for landing the job in the first place.

What general advice would you give to an associate producer?

Michael Neal Ph.D.Michael Neal Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Director, Rhetoric & Composition, Florida State University

The advice can be tricky, especially since our graduates go into a number of fields. My hope for them is that they continue to build upon what they learned in our program and apply it to new situations and contexts outside of school. I often tell students that editing, writing, and media aren't skills you master and then apply universally across contexts. Instead, we encourage students to keep growing and stretching themselves, since they will most likely face new genres, audiences, and contexts that they didn't see in college. Therefore, we teach them to be flexible, to be close readers, and analyze each rhetorical situation to determine how to best communicate within that context. Good writing isn't one-size-fits-all. Instead, it's a complex, negotiated relationship between writers, texts, contexts, audiences, media, modalities, etc.
ScoreAssociate ProducerUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $47,279

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.2

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 8.01%

Hispanic or Latino 14.72%

Unknown 5.60%

White 65.07%

Gender

female 38.76%

male 61.24%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
9.2

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Associate producer career paths

Key steps to become an associate producer

  1. Explore associate producer education requirements

    Most common associate producer degrees

    Bachelor's

    63.9 %

    High School Diploma

    14.9 %

    Associate

    10.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific associate producer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service13.89%
    Video Content12.50%
    Sales Floor5.75%
    Control Room5.45%
    Instagram5.10%
  3. Complete relevant associate producer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New associate producers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an associate producer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real associate producer resumes.
  4. Research associate producer duties and responsibilities

    • Lead the process of channel acquisition for YouTube channel properties.
    • Manage social media accounts using Hootsuite, TweetDeck, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
    • Assist in editing final show to air, create video clips, select viewer emails and manage social media.
    • Collaborate with first and third party agencies and vendors to achieve time sensitive goals and satisfy marketing objectives for Xbox.com.
  5. Prepare your associate producer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your associate producer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an associate producer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable associate producer resume templates

    Build a professional associate producer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your associate producer resume.
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    Associate Producer Resume
  6. Apply for associate producer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an associate producer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first associate producer job

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Average associate producer salary

The average associate producer salary in the United States is $47,279 per year or $23 per hour. Associate producer salaries range between $31,000 and $70,000 per year.

Average associate producer salary
$47,279 Yearly
$22.73 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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