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Job outlook for producer directors in the United States
Producer director job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected producer director job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 12,800 new jobs for producer directors are projected over the next decade.
Producer director salaries have increased 8% for producer directors in the last 5 years.
There are over 7,381 producer directors currently employed in the United States.
There are 13,931 active producer director job openings in the US.
The average producer director salary is $54,924.
Are producer director jobs in demand?
Producer director job and salary trends over time
Producer director jobs over time
Producer director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,381 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,379 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 6,898 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,334 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,274 | 0.00% |
Average producer director salary over time
Producer director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,924 | $26.41 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $53,501 | $25.72 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | $51,531 | $24.77 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $51,488 | $24.75 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $51,006 | $24.52 | +3.7% |
Producer director jobs by state
Most common states for producer directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 568 | 18% |
| 2 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 526 | 18% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 114 | 16% |
| 4 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 544 | 12% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 478 | 12% |
| 6 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 560 | 11% |
| 7 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 331 | 11% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 32 | 5% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 666 | 3% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 216 | 3% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 146 | 3% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 95 | 3% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 15 | 3% |
| 14 | California | 39,536,653 | 966 | 2% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 244 | 2% |
| 16 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 178 | 2% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 174 | 2% |
| 18 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 159 | 2% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 92 | 2% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 26 | 2% |
Most common cities for producer directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Lansing | 1 | 2% | $41,415 |
| 2 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $49,097 |
| 3 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $47,837 |
Producer Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of producer director experts
Olympic College
University of Toledo
Susquehanna University
Webster University
Columbia College Chicago
Drexel University
Baylor University
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Radio Television Digital News Association
Florida State University
University of North Texas
Amy Hesketh
Full Time FacultyOlympic College
Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) Division
What soft skills should all Producer Directors possess?
Amy Hesketh: -Collaboration.
-Teamwork.
-Project management.
-Crew management.
-Professionalism.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Producer Director job market given the pandemic?
Deborah Orloff: Working remotely and meeting via Zoom (and similar video conferencing platforms) is obviously a huge trend, and I expect it to continue.
What skills stand out on Producer Director resumes?
Deborah Orloff: Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing situations and new technology has become more important than ever! Creativity and entrepreneurship are also very important!
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Deborah Orloff: Large cities (like New York) have always offered the most opportunities, and I expect that to continue. However, with companies downsizing and consumer demand being lower due to the pandemic, entrepreneurs can do well anywhere!
Craig Stark Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Communications, Department Head of CommunicationsSusquehanna University
Communications Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Producer Director job market given the pandemic?
Craig Stark Ph.D.: Probably more remote work opportunities. I would expect many employers will find it more cost-effective to have employees work from home or remote sites, which means employees have to have a good working knowledge of time management and technical skills.
What Producer Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Craig Stark Ph.D.: If a graduate needs to take a gap year from work, the best thing I think they could do is stay involved with the industry. Subscribe to email and text updates from trade magazines, follow regulatory agencies like the FCC and FTC online, and stay in touch. Maintain contact with anyone that you've networked with and attend any virtual job fairs or conferences that you can. Use the time to practice and hone any technical or professional skills that you're interested in. The most important thing is to stay up-to-date and involved as much as you can, so that when the gap year is over it will be easier to get back into the swing.
What general advice would you give to a Producer Director?
Craig Stark Ph.D.: Be flexible and willing to change goals and perspectives. The industry is constantly changing and evolving but fortunately you can do anything with a communications degree. Use that flexibility to your advantage and do the best you can to prepare for any industrial, professional, and personal changes in your life.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Producer Director job market given the pandemic?
Lara Teeter: The most obvious trend is that "Virtual Theatre" is not going to be going away. In addition to television, film, Broadway & Regional theatre, cruise line and theme park work...our students and professionals alike have had to hone special skills in both the performance and technical aspects of virtual theatre. The other given is that the digital audition room (video submissions and even callbacks for projects) will continue to be used by producers, directors, casting directors, and agents. This is a real money saver when you consider the cost of flying someone in (director, casting director, talent), put them up at a hotel, and then rent the space to hold the audition. I do NOT feel that the "in-room" audition will go away, but the virtual audition room is something that is here to stay!
What skills stand out on Producer Director resumes?
Lara Teeter: People. The casting agents, talent agencies, management companies, directors, and choreographers ALL want to know a) who you've studied with, b) who you've worked with, c) what agent represents you and, d) what casting directors keep submitting you. Broadway? Always. But if you have been part of a staged reading or if you have done a small role in a play or a musical that is being mounted in a regional house and the director or choreographer is someone who has a reputation for doing great work...that counts a lot.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Lara Teeter: Throw a rock over your shoulder and hit 20 in one throw! Literally, everywhere you turn, if you are hungry and smart, there is a place to find work. I like to use "Everything was Possible - the birth of the musical FOLLIES" by Ted Chapin as an example. He was in a position to fetch coffee for Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim, and Michael Bennett. After so many years, he was chosen by the Rodgers and Hammerstein families to run their business. He's also the co-founder of ENCORES. There are many "good places" to find work. There are also some "not so good" places to work. A young actor's journey must encounter both so that as they mature in the business, they can, hopefully, begin to choose what places/directors/organizations that they prefer to work with as well as those they don't. Until that day, however, a job is a job. The MUNY, The Glimmerglass Opera, Goodspeed, Pittsburg Civic Light Opera, Wichita Summer Musicals, Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City (these last two is where I got my start in the 1970s!), Barrington Stage, American Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Alabama Shakespeare, Seattle Reparatory Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, TX, Broadway Sacramento (formally California Musical Theatre)....the list goes on and on!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Producer Director job market given the pandemic?
Duncan MacKenzie: The fine arts' job market is always aggressively entrepreneurial and requires our practitioners to establish their voice and space. With many of our more traditional paths squeezed or closed, we see an increased enthusiasm for online venues and the kinds of work that can support them. After the pandemic, we expect to see a return to the materially based practices and those with performative and social aspects, as the audience will be looking for less mediated experiences.
What skills stand out on Producer Director resumes?
Duncan MacKenzie: For all young artists, organizational skills, digital and web-based skills, and an ability to communicate verbally and textually are very important; beyond that, craft-based skills relevant to whatever is being made are always crucial.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Duncan MacKenzie: Artists can find relevance anywhere they want to work, but often, they must build the audience for their creative output. It is more comfortable in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, as they have pre-existing channels and communities for art-making and viewing. Still, those cities can be significantly more expensive to live in.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Producer Director job market given the pandemic?
Michael Wagner: We primarily serve the traditional digital media industries (game design, animation, visual effects, VR/AR, etc.). In our fields, the pandemic's most significant trend is the rapid development of solutions for virtualizing digital media production systems. Companies have started to move much of their production into cloud-based development environments that allow developers to work in geographically dispersed teams.
What skills stand out on Producer Director resumes?
Michael Wagner: Primarily an understanding of how to be productive in virtual teams. Anything that proves that somebody is capable of working independently and reliably.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Michael Wagner: In our fields, location is no longer a serious concern. People work from anywhere. There are still traditional pockets of media industries such as LA, but the overall tendency is to move into remote work arrangements.
What type of skills will young Producer Directors need?
Chris Hansen: Students who want to work in media fields would benefit from a broad base of production skills as well as a solid understanding of theories related to visual aesthetics and what makes production more dynamic and visually interesting.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Chris Hansen: Most cities of any size have businesses and churches that need media professionals. Every business needs a media presence for their website, or social media, or advertising. So whether they do that with in-house media employees or outsource to firms or freelancers who handle the work, having these skills will make you employable in most medium-sized or large cities.
How do you envision technology impacting Producer Directors in the next 5 years?
Chris Hansen: In digital media, technology is ever-changing. It's a field that's rooted in technological advances, giving us better ways to do what we do. So technology will change, and students in this field need to learn not only whatever is current, but they need to learn how to adapt as things change.
What type of skills will young Producer Directors need?
David Carren: Critical thinking, a significant component of all successful creative endeavors, will be a considerable asset. Another essential ability to collaborate or work with others efficiently and effectively will also matter a great deal.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
David Carren: For theatre, any area with a robust creative perimeter of professional theatre and narrative film and television production. This would mean living in a central metropolitan area or production center.
How do you envision technology impacting Producer Directors in the next 5 years?
David Carren: The most significant impact will be in the nature and expansion of digital delivery systems for narrative film and television and live theatre.
What experience really stands out on Producer Director resumes?
Nate Bynum: Performance experience is the most apparent accomplishment theatre employers look for on a resume. The documented ability to sing, dance, and act, are still the standards that define a well-rounded theatre performer. A summary showing roles in a wide variety of genres (classical/period/musicals/comedies/dramas) will undoubtedly stand out versus one limited in number and scope. As well, classes taken are of interest to a potential employer. Courses in movement, voice, diction, screen acting, stage combat, etc., will suggest that the student was focused on being--or the program forced them to be--well-rounded and involved. And, fortunately, or unfortunately, the school can make a difference to employers.
The more prominent and more well-known the program, the more famous the alumni, the more severe or well-trained the student is deemed to be. I say "unfortunately" because that is often far from being true. There are many good students to be found on large and small campuses. A well-rounded theatre student has trained in various genres (stage, musicals, film/tv, opera) to prepare for a career in the arts. The operative word being "career." Say, for example, the theatre student is applying to teach at a university. The classes or specialized area of training becomes a lot more important than the proven ability to perform. And with that, the ability to write and communicate orally.
How do you envision technology impacting Producer Directors in the next 5 years?
Nate Bynum: It will ever increase. Long before the pandemic, more and more stage performers were being asked to submit auditions via self-tapes. That process can be a time and money saver for both the theatre and the actor. Still, stage acting is centered around performing in front of a live audience, and the best way to prove confidence and ability in doing that is to audition live and respond to feedback in real-time. Recording and streaming live performances is already an issue causing legal ramifications between SAG-AFTRA and AEA. This is a sensitive issue at present.
On the other hand, technology has already impacted film/tv acting, and I think it is to stay there. A reliance on self-taped audition submissions, and Zoom auditions, will probably remain a norm in the on-screen discipline because, again, of time and cost. I think everyone is eager to get back to in-person auditions, getting adjustments in the room from the decision-makers, and just direct reading the room. Still, a lot of money has been spent on the equipment during the pandemic, and no one wants it only to become obsolete. Also, a lot of actors are getting good at self-taping. As well, casting directors have a lot more opportunities nowadays to cast multiple shows. The quick turnaround demanded from network, cable, and streaming shows doesn't allow for many in-person auditions.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Producer Directors?
Nate Bynum: Undoubtedly, training was greatly affected during the pandemic. Arts training is now, and has always been, hands-on. Even if classes were allowed in-person, social distance spacing is anathema to the movement in the discipline. Theatre and screen acting are collaborative arts. Teachers and students have to work together and nearby. This can not be accomplished via Zoom and 6ft. spacing. Social distance does not exist in the arts. Thus, the limits placed on teachers and students in executing exercises, performing scene work or tech work, or proving to understand the intricate details of a particular art were lost and will have to be learned at another time.
What general advice would you give to a Producer Director?
Dan Shelley: While television and radio newsroom hiring has been relatively flat, there are increasing opportunities for broadcast and digital journalists in virtually all parts of the country. Generally speaking, the pandemic has caused some - but not as much as initially feared - contraction in the overall local broadcast and digital journalism space. However, several companies that operate television stations across the U.S. are actively seeking journalists as they have adapted to new innovative ways to cover stories safely and, in many cases, they are ramping up hiring to better serve their communities during these unprecedented times.
What type of skills will young Producer Directors need?
Dan Shelley: In addition to the fundamentals - shooting/recording video/audio, editing, sharp newswriting skills, excellent live reporting technique, strong anchoring ability, (not necessarily in that order) - they'll need to know more than a little about the communities and newsrooms in which they want to work BEFORE they apply. Once they get a job, they'll need to be prepared for long hours, modest pay (at first), and they'll have to place a heightened degree of awareness on their personal safety when working in the field.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Producer Directors to find work opportunities?
Dan Shelley: There are entry-level, mid-level and senior-level positions open across the country. Companies that operate local newsrooms around the U.S. are placing a great emphasis on improving the diversity of their workplaces, particularly in newsroom management positions. There are significant opportunities for BIPOC broadcast and digital journalists to get onto the management track by taking producer and other mid-level supervisory positions.
What general advice would you give to a Producer Director?
Michael Neal Ph.D.: 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.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Producer Directors in the next 3-5 years?
Michael Neal Ph.D.: Writing is a technology, even as we use technologies to write. A pen and paper is just as much a technology as a computer. I think writers and editors will continue to use many of the digital technologies that have emerged over the past several years. We teach students to develop video essays, digital archives, podcasts, web texts, and a variety of other multimedia forms of communication. The tools we use to create these texts will likely change, but the direction we're moving with technology will likely speed up production and make it more accessible to more composers. There are clear downsides to digital communication, but this is the world we live in, and education in part is about teaching critical use of these new technologies.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Producer Directors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Neal Ph.D.: You can get specific, detailed, current information from the career center at FSU, but when I checked a little over a year ago, Editing, Writing, and Media students do well in the job market, some of the best numbers in the college. Our graduates go into many writing- and communication-related fields. A number of them enter law school each year. The salaries for entry-level positions coming out of the humanities tend to be slightly lower than other fields, such as business, but over the course of their careers, they make up for that slightly lower start. In addition to salaries, I also focus on the quality of work-life and professional satisfaction. Students with degrees in Editing, Writing, and Media have the ability to enter many different fields and apply the soft skills they've learned (e.g., critical thinking, project management, communication, design) in various contexts. I keep in touch with many graduates, and I'm continually impressed by the range and quality of their professional opportunities.
What general advice would you give to a Producer Director?
Johnathan Paul: My number one piece of advice for soon-to-be or recent graduates is never to stop learning. I always strive to tell my students to be as diverse as possible. Don't just know one thing; in today's market, you need to know how to do several things. Diversify your tool palette. This will help you in the long run and may lead you to a career path you didn't realize existed.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Producer Directors in the next 3-5 years?
Johnathan Paul: We've slowly seen more and more companies in film, television, and video game development move a portion of their business to online and remote for the past ten years. However, with the global pandemic, we've seen those new models get pushed to the forefront in a concise amount of time. With that said, my classes have been integrating communication and project management apps into the classroom workflow and the core creative tools I use. So apps such as Zoom, Slack, Notion, Frame.io, Evercast, etc. are heavily used in my class, as students will now need to have a working knowledge of some or all of these applications once they move into the industry.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Producer Directors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Johnathan Paul: Trying to pinpoint a starting salary in the film and television industry is incredibly challenging. There are so many different avenues that a recent graduate can go into, and each one of those job tracks has a benchmark for what number their starting salary begins at. For example, someone joining a film crew as a Production Assistant will typically make less than someone taking an entry level office job at a studio. The video game industry tends to have better starting salaries; however, many of those jobs are temporarily based on a development cycle. Freelance and contract work are just a reality of the media industry, and it's something I try to prepare my students for.