Background actor demographics and statistics in the US
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Background actor demographics by:
Background actor gender statistics
39.1% of background actors are women and 60.9% of background actors are men.
- Male, 60.9%
- Female, 39.1%
Background actor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 60.9% |
| Female | 39.1% |
Background actor gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,178
Female income
$49,579
Background actor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in background actor positions over time. Currently, 39.1% of background actors are female.
Background actor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.76% | 33.24% |
| 2011 | 60.80% | 39.20% |
| 2012 | 66.33% | 33.67% |
| 2013 | 69.08% | 30.92% |
| 2014 | 67.73% | 32.27% |
| 2015 | 60.40% | 39.60% |
| 2016 | 64.58% | 35.42% |
| 2017 | 63.00% | 37.00% |
| 2018 | 61.38% | 38.62% |
| 2019 | 63.04% | 36.96% |
| 2020 | 58.93% | 41.07% |
| 2021 | 60.95% | 39.05% |
Background actor related jobs gender ratio
We compared background 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% |
| Background Actor | 61% | 39% |
| 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%
Background actor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among background actors is White, which makes up 57.2% of all background actors. Comparatively, 16.0% of background actors are Hispanic or Latino and 13.1% of background actors are Black or African American.
- White, 57.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.0%
- Black or African American, 13.1%
- Unknown, 7.1%
- Asian, 6.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Background actor race
| Background actor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% |
| Black or African American | 13.1% |
| Unknown | 7.1% |
| Asian | 6.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Background actor race and ethnicity over time
See how background actor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Background actor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.44% | 11.03% | 3.44% | 14.28% |
| 2011 | 63.78% | 12.58% | 4.74% | 14.46% |
| 2012 | 66.77% | 10.13% | 4.51% | 12.91% |
| 2013 | 63.30% | 12.50% | 4.90% | 15.42% |
| 2014 | 64.36% | 10.49% | 6.31% | 14.63% |
| 2015 | 62.96% | 9.95% | 6.86% | 15.19% |
| 2016 | 65.99% | 11.49% | 5.51% | 13.55% |
| 2017 | 65.08% | 10.95% | 4.95% | 14.33% |
| 2018 | 62.13% | 10.56% | 7.96% | 13.95% |
| 2019 | 59.75% | 13.80% | 5.92% | 15.15% |
| 2020 | 58.30% | 10.39% | 6.46% | 18.74% |
| 2021 | 57.20% | 13.14% | 6.35% | 16.03% |
Background actor wage gap by race
According to our data, white background actors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american background actors have the lowest average salary at $48,590.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,460 |
| White | $54,276 |
| Black or African American | $48,590 |
| Asian | $54,161 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,659 |
Background actor age breakdown
The average age of background actors is 30-40 years years old, representing 45% of the background actor population.
Background actor age breakdown
| Background Actor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 34% |
| 30-40 years | 45% |
| 20-30 years | 21% |
Background actor educational attainment
The most common degree for background actors is bachelor's degree, with 55% of background actors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 17%
- High School Diploma, 15%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Background actors by degree level
| Background actor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Associate | 17% |
| High School Diploma | 15% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Background actor jobs you might like
Background actor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $61,490 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,121 |
Background actor employment statistics
Most background actors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where background actors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where background actors work.
Background actor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 14% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 3% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Background actor jobs by company type
Employees with the background actor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most background actors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Background actor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 76% |
| Government | 5% |
Background actor jobs by industry
The most common industries for background actors are media, professional and retail.
Background actor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 27% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Education | 7% |
| Government | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Background actor turnover and employment statistics
Background actor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for background actors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Background actor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Background 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 background actor tenure
The average background actor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 780 background actors resumes in Zippia's database.
Background actor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 22% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Background actor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of background 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Toll Gate Keeper | 5.42% | 7,455 |
| Baseball Club Manager | 7.62% | 2,391 |
| Soloist | 8.54% | 132 |
| Stuntman | 13.74% | 140 |
| Production Director | 14.31% | 59,417 |
| Background Actor | 19.40% | - |
| Composer | 30.45% | 29 |
Similar background actor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Toll Gate Keeper | 5.42% | 7,455 |
| Baseball Club Manager | 7.62% | 2,391 |
| Soloist | 8.54% | 132 |
| Stuntman | 13.74% | 140 |
| Production Director | 14.31% | 59,417 |
| Composer | 30.45% | 29 |
Foreign languages spoken by background actors
The most common foreign language among background actors is Spanish at 51.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Italian at 7.8% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 51.0%
- Italian, 7.8%
- Chinese, 5.9%
- Korean, 5.9%
- Russian, 5.9%
- Other, 23.5%
Background actor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 51.0% |
| Italian | 7.8% |
| Chinese | 5.9% |
| Korean | 5.9% |
| Russian | 5.9% |
| Other | 23.5% |