27 Series · SOC 27-2032
Choreographers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $55,310
- Median / year
- $138,630
- Top 10% earn
- +6.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 2,860
- US workers
Choreographers earn a median of $55,310 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $55,310, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $34,090 (10th percentile) to $138,630 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 2,860 US workers. New York pays the most ($173,100), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Choreographers earn a median of $55,310, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 41% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #29 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% by 2033.
- $55,310
- Median annual wage
- Top 59%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #29 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 4.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $173,100. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Choreographers (SOC 27-2032) pays a national median of $55,310 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $34,090 at the 10th percentile to $138,630 at the 90th, with a mean of $73,100 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 2,860 Americans work in this occupation across 14 reporting states and 12 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $173,100, which is +213% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $170,780 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$55,310
per year
Median Hourly
$26.59/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$73,100
average
Employment
2,860
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Choreographers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$55,310 Bottom 41% higher than 41% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Choreographers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 27-series occupations with growth data, Choreographers sits on the faster-growing side at +6.1% growth and $55,310 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+6.1%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience
5 years or more
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Choreographers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- ▸ Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
- ▸ Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- ▸ Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
- ▸ Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
- ▸ Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
- ▸ Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
- ▸ Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
- ▸ Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
- ▸ Coordinate production music with music directors.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$34,090
25th Percentile
$41,600
Median
$55,310
75th Percentile
$75,710
90th Percentile
$138,630
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 14 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $173,100 | +213% above national |
| 2 | California | $75,000 | +36% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $74,810 | +35% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $69,140 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Ohio | $66,910 | +21% above national |
| 6 | Louisiana | $51,170 | 7% below national |
| 7 | Nebraska | $49,490 | 11% below national |
| 8 | Texas | $46,460 | 16% below national |
| 9 | Indiana | $44,840 | 19% below national |
| 10 | South Dakota | $40,320 | 27% below national |
| 11 | Alabama | $38,990 | 30% below national |
| 12 | Florida | $36,670 | 34% below national |
| 13 | Illinois | $34,560 | 38% below national |
| 14 | Utah | $33,640 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 12 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $170,780 | +209% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,430 | +80% above national |
| 3 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $87,850 | +59% above national |
| 4 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $75,000 | +36% above national |
| 5 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $74,810 | +35% above national |
| 6 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $70,360 | +27% above national |
| 7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $61,130 | +11% above national |
| 8 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $49,560 | 10% below national |
| 9 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $44,840 | 19% below national |
| 10 | Rapid City, SD | $41,080 | 26% below national |
| 11 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $40,320 | 27% below national |
| 12 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $36,220 | 35% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Choreographers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $75,710/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $173,100/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.