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Job outlook for senior production artists in the United States
Senior production artist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior production artist job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 6,800 new jobs for senior production artists are projected over the next decade.
Senior production artist salaries have increased 12% for senior production artists in the last 5 years.
There are over 4,608 senior production artists currently employed in the United States.
There are 55,000 active senior production artist job openings in the US.
The average senior production artist salary is $86,821.
Are senior production artist jobs in demand?
Senior production artist job and salary trends over time
Senior production artist jobs over time
Senior production artist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,608 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,549 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,877 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,919 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,905 | 0.00% |
Average senior production artist salary over time
Senior production artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,821 | $41.74 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $84,755 | $40.75 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $81,925 | $39.39 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $79,209 | $38.08 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $77,485 | $37.25 | +1.6% |
Senior production artist jobs by state
Most common states for senior production artists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 793 | 14% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 397 | 13% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 599 | 11% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 66 | 11% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 655 | 10% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 135 | 10% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 292 | 9% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 164 | 9% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 114 | 9% |
| 10 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 983 | 8% |
| 11 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 360 | 8% |
| 12 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 320 | 8% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 231 | 8% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 890 | 7% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 683 | 7% |
| 16 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 551 | 7% |
| 17 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 499 | 7% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 449 | 7% |
| 19 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 407 | 7% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 57 | 7% |
Senior Production Artist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior production artist experts
University of Northern Iowa
Emory University
Albion College
Stonehill College
California State University - Stanislaus
Kansas City Art Institute
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
University of California, Santa Barbara
Southern Methodist University
Wayne State University
University of Oklahoma
Saint Xavier University
Oakland University
Duke University
University of Findlay
University of Missouri - Columbia
Wilson College
Elizabeth Sutton
Department Head, Professor of Art HistoryUniversity of Northern Iowa
Department of Art
What skills stand out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
Elizabeth Sutton: What really stands out is the quality of the student's portfolios and that they have client-based real-world experience.
What soft skills should all Senior Production Artists possess?
Elizabeth Sutton: There are many--the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively is absolutely necessary. The ability to ask for feedback and be able to take that feedback and incorporate it into a process is very important. Of course, meeting deadlines is also very important.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior Production Artists?
Elizabeth Sutton: We train our students in Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator.
Ariel Fristoe
Instructor, Artistic Director of Out of Hand TheaterEmory University
Theater Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Production Artist job market given the pandemic?
Ariel Fristoe: Visual and performing arts organizations are suffering, and after the pandemic, they will need to re-think many of the old ways of doing things, and innovate quickly. They will need to hire new talent to develop socially-relevant programs, and invent new ways to connect to donors and audiences. The arts play a vital role in bringing communities together, in creating empathy for each other and promoting social change, but only if they're catalyzed for these purposes. Otherwise arts organizations risk losing relevance, and by extension, audiences and funding.
What technical skills for a Senior Production Artist stand out to employers?
Ariel Fristoe: Applicants entering the job market in the arts have a real advantage if they have video editing and/or strong social media skills. Basic graphic design skills are also very useful, and employers are also always looking for strong communication and collaboration skills, and excellent writers.
What's a good job out of college for Senior Production Artists?
Ariel Fristoe: Too many artists make the mistake of never considering an administrative job in the arts, and end up waiting tables or tutoring, which is a terrible waste of their skills and passion. Instead, they can use their creativity and communication skills in marketing, fundraising, or program development, to serve the art form they love, and not rely on the inconsistent income of the artist's gig economy. My advice is, find an arts organization you love, volunteer or intern for them, and make yourself indispensable. Then apply for whatever entry-level jobs they advertise. Employers love to hire people they already know they like to work with.
David Abbott
ChairAlbion College
Department of Music
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Production Artist?
David Abbott: In music, if they are educators in K-12, it will likely impact somewhat on their teaching. Already my former students in K-12 music education report current massive drops in music ensemble enrollments band/choir/orchestra simply because 1) the health risk factors and 2) the need for greater physical distancing doesn't allow for the traditional numbers sitting closer together and blowing on wind instruments, or singing in choirs, etc. Undoubtedly, many music programs will have to work hard to rebuild their enrollments back to pre-pandemic levels hopefully sooner than later.
What technical skills for a Senior Production Artist stand out to employers?
David Abbott: Skills in technology will primarily be more important than ever as we transition not only into more virtual learning but also even after the pandemic, I think virtual learning will still remain somewhat just as I have little doubt that across education as well as in many business settings, virtual meetings will slowly begin to become the norm. I regret this as I feel it ultimately (llike with the iphone texting, etc.) will contribute to a great social isolation that will ultimately have a pejorative effect on how we learn and interact as individuals.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
David Abbott: Clearly academic challenges of not getting either enough material and/or not being able to receive it as effectively as traditional in class experiencial learning has potentially negative consequences not unlike that of pre-college students although generally to a lesser degree of negative impact. Much virtual teaching can be effective and Albion has utilized this to a great deal as have many other colleges and R1 institutions. We offer combined virtual/ in person "hybrid", as well as all virtual only and all in person teaching both in classes and applied music lessons.
It remains to be seen in the coming post-pandemic years how much of a deleterious effect this pandemic will ultimately have on learning. My personal view is that the effects will vary but overall there will be negative implications across many colleges and universities. Much will depend on the success of testing/tracing which in the case of Albion College where we were very diligent and effective including use of an Aura tracking app required of all students, we were able to isolate and quarantine students suspected of illness, or with positive test results of COVID, safely isolate them for the required time and then they returned to lasses as before. During quarantine/isolation, all Albion students had virtual access to all classes after making arrangements with their individual instructors.
In comparison, I know Hillsdale College not more than 40 miles away, while an outstanding academic institution with enviably high standards, was decimated by the pandemic, simply because the administration chose not to follow science and they had at one point no less 175 positive covid cases, in early November while Albion had an average of only 3-5 on campus. I understood that the virus ravaged their music department and shut down most if not all live instruction. These numbers continued to rise in the next two weeks (Albion had only 11 total cases, all safely in isolation while Hillsdale's numbers exceeded 200 and more), it became difficult for many schools who ultimately chose to send their students home as a precaution to avoiding massive infection. Albion did this with 11 positive cases simply to follow recommended state guidelines. My understanding was Hillsdale hung on for much longer and continued to keep students on campus in spite of these dangerously high numbers of life threatening infections.
I pray their students/faculty ultimately left safe and mostly out of danger by the end of Fall semester and perhaps this was their way of maintaining academic integrity by keeping students on campus. At Albion, we ultimately sent students home only 7 school days earlier than our planned close of classes. We employed a controversial "module" system that essentially compressed 14 week classes into 7 weeks and classes met avg 5 days a week compared to the traditional 2-3x per week. Ultimately faculty/students hated this model and accepted it simply in an effort to keep students on campus for learning rather than keep everyone home in virtual only as many colleges and universities chose to do. We are continuing this module system now in the current Spring semester. We intend to return to traditional classes if at all possible by Fall '21.
What type of skills will young Senior Production Artists need?
Matthew Greene: Theatre graduates, in order to work, must be disciplined self-starters first and artists second. They need to get out there (in person or virtually) and be persistent. This fact hasn't changed in the past 100 years, but the means in which to engage, find and create work is transforming in front of our eyes. It is now essential to have an online presence and the ability and resources to produce "self-tapes", the new standard for auditioning. While many aspects of theatre will return as we have known them, I imagine a lot of the job-seeking efforts, primarily auditioning, will continue virtually. This alone makes more opportunities available to more people, and levels the playing field a good deal.
What experience really stands out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
Matthew Greene: Young theatre artists need to focus on building their post-college credits, and not be overly concerned with unions, agents, etc. I've run an auditioning class for the better part of the past decade, and questions regarding unions and agents are the ones I field the most. Instead, they should pound the pavement and find any and all work they can find to network and bolster their resumes. To see that they are actively pursuing their chosen profession is something I look for when casting a show. This can be demonstrated by credits or by continued training. Show employers that you are serious, motivated and a team-player, and you will receive much more attention. Also, be sure to include names on your resume. In a field such as theatre, WHO you've worked with or studied under can mean the difference between a callback or not.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
Matthew Greene: Theatre has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Theatres worldwide have been dark since March, and best-case-scenarios doesn't have them opening until next fall. Recent graduates enter a field that is on hold. Current students are having to perform scene work on Zoom or masked at a distance. It's all quite antithetical to the immediacy and connection that is at the heart of how we typically train students. That is not to say we have thrown our hands in the air, but instead have taken the challenge to produce productions in unconventional ways. Ultimately, this will benefit recent and future graduates by forcing them to engage audiences in new and creative ways.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
John Mayer Ph.D.: Absolutely. The industry has truly been gutted by the pandemic, and, it remains to be seen how it will return and recover.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Production Artists?
John Mayer Ph.D.: None really in the professional world. MFA or PhD in the academic world are essential.
What soft skills should all Senior Production Artists possess?
John Mayer Ph.D.: Thorough ability to read and write and communicate efficiently and inclusively.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
John Ferry: I believe so - how can we have something this significant happen and not have it affect our lives in a noticeable way. I actually think there are advantages to having this happen . . . If you look for the positives you'll find them . . . if you look for the negatives you'll find them . . . I can't speculate on what that impact will be - but, we'll all be impacted, Professors and Students. At the very least we are all a lot more familiar with how to navigate virtual meetings.
What experience really stands out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
John Ferry: I think for a student that internships really stand out. Showing you've worked for an agency or freelance artist and received payment for this experience. It shows you can work with other people and demonstrate some professional experience. At Kansas City Art Institute, where I teach in the Illustration Department, we require all students to take either an internship or mentorship.
I also think showing published work is important. One internship that used to be available in the past was at The Kansas City Star Newspaper. The students were able to do weekly illustrations featured in their publication. It gave them an excellent opportunity to work with art directors, illustrate a concept and work on their portfolio.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Production Artist job market given the pandemic?
Abby Guido: Work-from-home options, and not just for now. I've noticed many small to midsize design firms opting to forego their brick and mortar locations to embrace forever being virtual. Even some larger companies are making similar announcements.
What skills stand out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
Abby Guido: Skills is always an interesting portion of a resume. In addition to adding the tools you currently use, I think it is important to express that you can problem solve and enjoy and embrace learning new technology/software. Our tools are constantly changing, and what you use today may be considered outdated next month, so be sure to list not just the software you use, but what you use it to create. For example, if you use Adobe XD you would also have wireframing and prototyping skills.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Production Artists to find work opportunities?
Abby Guido: Anywhere. With so many companies embracing the work from home model, you no longer have to limit where you look or worry your physical location will eliminate you from the candidate pool.
Risa Brainin
Professor, Artistic Director, LAUNCH PADUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Department of Theater and Dance
What experience really stands out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
Risa Brainin: Especially in the pandemic, any and ALL experience will stand out on a resume. The fact that we kept creating through this impossibly difficult time speaks well of each and every artist. That kind of commitment and tenacity builds strength of character and skill.
What type of skills will young Senior Production Artists need?
Risa Brainin: Flexibility! We don't know how long it will take before audiences and artists can safely join together in a theater again. So, we must think outside the box and adapt.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
Risa Brainin: Once we get through the pandemic and the worlds of theater, film and television open up again, graduates will be able to step right into the industry. Until then, we are all in a challenging situation. The good news is that artists have been wildly creative during 2020-21, exploring alternative ways to make theater. Our students have jumped on that bandwagon and learned new skills in order to adapt to performing on other platforms like Zoom. So while they may not have learned certain skills that are required to act, direct, design, or write for live, in person, on stage performance, students are mastering the art and skills needed for online performance.
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.
Assistant Professor - Arts Management and Arts EntrepreneurshipSouthern Methodist University
Meadows School of the Arts
What Senior Production Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.: There are a lot of reasons for a gap year. I think it is worth noting that they can be used very strategically to assess the landscape, identify direction, and get experience. Sometimes, people assume that they are supposed to have a carefully developed career path and they don't give themselves the freedom to explore. It's really hard in our society, but I think an article on gap years might actually be a huge benefit. My brother graduated from college in May 2009. He had friends that leapt to law school because they couldn't get jobs and they thought that was a productive direction. They accumulated debt to find out before finishing that they really didn't want to practice law.
How can we not think about the power and importance of data science and data analytics? It's has become so incredibly easy to collect data and enhance performance with evidence-based decision-making. Whether seeking employment in the private, nonprofit, or public sector, data will feature. Employees who are able to collect and analyze data are essential and will provide the support for innovative decisions that will help organizations survive and thrive through this disruption to life as usual, as well as the next one, and the next one. Similarly, being able to identify the critical data points and assess position and determine direction will benefit personal brand management-whether one strives to become a manager or the talent.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Production Artist?
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.: Networks are incredibly important. n 1973, Mark Granovetter published an article, "The Strength of Weak Ties." Gershon revisited it in a 2017 Harvard Business Review article (Hbr). My advice is something of a mash-up between the lit and my experience. Get to know the people in your network. Grow your network through introductions. Talk to your professors and advisors, relatives, friends of the family, alumni from your school(s), or from clubs or associations.
Ask them if they know someone who might help you learn about your professional interests. Seek opportunities for informational interviews so that you can learn about jobs, industries, and strategies that did or didn't work. Not everyone has time, but a lot will. Stay in touch with your contacts and make sure they know enough about you to be able to recommend you for opportunities when they come up. I tell my students to come see me during office hours. One reason is that I get to know them better. Then, when they ask if I'll be a reference or write a recommendation for them, I have additional information (data) that I can match to the opportunity in order to present a persuasive argument for selecting the person I'm recommending.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Production Artist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. B. Kathleen Gallagher Ph.D.: The creative industries are a broad category and includes for-profit and non-profit organizations. These categories have experienced different effects of the pandemic.
Museums and theaters had to shut down as a result of the pandemic. There were furloughs and layoffs. Some have connected with their audience through online delivery of performances but the experience and pricing structure have been different. All are watching their financial positions carefully.
Given my research on population dynamics of nonprofit arts organizations, we should be particularly concerned about small and new organizations. And these venues are often where recent graduates as well as emerging artists and performers get their first opportunities. So, this will definitely present some additional challenges to job seekers.
In the for-profit industry it's something of a tale of two cities.
Movie theaters and commercial music venues are suffering from the same issues as the non-profits. AMC may file for bankruptcy (Bloomberg).
Simultaneously, many Americans have really relied on entertainment from streaming platforms to adjust to a pandemic lifestyle. Disney+ made headlines in April when they announced more than 50 million paid subscribers (Barrons). But the simultaneous release of movies in theaters and streaming creates a scenario unthought of when contracts with the talent were written that will require significant adaptation (Nytimes).
Individually and organizationally, we have had to adapt to current conditions in order to remain healthy. I think one of the positive lessons is that organizations have been forced to revisit practices and procedures and innovate. Those working in creative and entertainment fields are trained to innovate and think creatively. In 2004, Daniel Pink argued that the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is the new MBA in the New York Times. Speaking to an audience at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in December 2018, Pink observed:
I think the data and analytics skills have become much more important than they were 13 years ago, but you still have to have those artistic skills," Pink said, adding that the artistic trait of composition was critical all manner of business endeavors. (DardenVirginia)
Maria Bologna
Wayne State University
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Production Artist job market given the pandemic?
Maria Bologna: Biggest trend is recent grads are no longer limited to their location for work (studios and companies all around the world are now offering fully remote positions).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Production Artists to find work opportunities?
Maria Bologna: There are often overlooked positions available as an in-house designer at various companies (from hospitals and architecture firms to breweries and municipal offices).
What general advice would you give to a Senior Production Artist?
Tess Elliot: Stay true to yourself. Be patient and have confidence in yourself and your work. Artists early in their careers often don't make money from their work. This is okay. Find a way to support yourself while continuing to make and share your work and things will fall into place. Seek out that unique path to career fulfillment.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Production Artists?
Cathie Ruggie Saunders: Yes, absolutely. Events of this caliber become imprinted memories that never go away. All a student will have to say is that they are a graduate of 2020, and everyone will know what that means. A collective consciousness of the nightmare kind. But aside from the abrupt goodbyes they were forced to do were the myriad of opportunities lost. So many of Saint Xavier University's graduates are first-generation. Not only were they looking forward to their graduation, but their parents were, since the parents were not able to do it themselves. And on a larger theatre, they are graduating into a world barely recognizable, despite the fact that they have been exposed, in their lifetime, to 9/11, school shootings, drastic climate change, systemic racism and more. Now, a global health crisis that has affected every facet of life as we knew it.
Carol Anne Ketelsen
Career Consultant for CAS and SONOakland University
School of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Senior Production Artist?
Carol Anne Ketelsen: When interviewing for a position remember that you are also interviewing them. As a candidate you need to determine if this company and culture is a fit for you. Although you want that job, be patient, be selective, and be realistic; you don't have to take the very first thing that comes your way. Do your homework on the company, position, and pay. Know your worth, and don't sell yourself short.
Once in the career, be professional. Dress professionally. Talk professionally. Act professionally. Learn the unwritten rules of the organization. Follow the chain of command. Ask the best way to connect with your supervisor. Accept personal responsibility. Share the credit on projects. Collaborate with others, and be a team player. Workplace professionalism is judged by your communication - verbal, nonverbal and written - your image, your competence, and your demeanor.
What skills stand out on Senior Production Artist resumes?
Victoria Szabo Ph.D.: Aside from some experience with some basic coding packages and systems (think Python, R, and web frameworks), I would say that experience with project management, success in working on team-based projects, and the ability to demonstrate growth and development over time are the most important. Sophisticated understanding of search algorithms, metadata standards, and user tracking would also help.
What Senior Production Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Anne Beekman: Designers with a broad range of skills- technology, creativity, and communication-with a strong aesthetic will continue to find jobs.
Dr. Julia Gaines
Director, Professor, PercussionUniversity of Missouri - Columbia
School of Music
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Production Artist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Julia Gaines: The biggest trends for post-pandemic will be jobs for AV/IT work. The making of videos for just about every profession but including the distribution of music has grown exponentially in the field. I think entrepreneurs who can do this will contract out for music educators/performers everywhere. I think the teaching profession will now be asking, "what is your experience with online instruction delivery?" That will now be a qualification for all teachers, and we, at the university level, will have to do better preparing our teachers for this new education world.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Production Artists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Julia Gaines: Education is still a top market, and that will be needed in every state. Even private studios have evolved to teaching online, all over the world. The location has now become a bit more irrelevant. As long as you can work with a computer well, you should be able to get a job in the education field. Even international opportunities will be more relevant to students, at this point.
What type of skills will young Senior Production Artists need?
Philip Lindsey: Communication skills, creative and critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, work well independently, and in a team, tech-savvy, broad knowledge (liberal arts) + disciplinary knowledge.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Production Artists to find work opportunities?
Philip Lindsey: Graphic Design: metropolitan areas. However, graphic design is everywhere, and any company/business that relies on images and text incorporates graphic Design. So the job market is quite broad.