Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
California employs 266,920 Arts, Design & Entertainment professionals across 29 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Arts, Design & Entertainment industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Arts, Design & Entertainment in California, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Arts, Design & Entertainment industry in California, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Art Directors | $137,780 | $156,060 | 12,430 | $66/hr |
| 2 | Special Effects Artists and Animators | $130,540 | $134,360 | 7,410 | $62/hr |
| 3 | Producers and Directors | $129,790 | $155,750 | 34,110 | $62/hr |
| 4 | Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $116,020 | $108,890 | 1,400 | $55/hr |
| 5 | Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $106,900 | $106,350 | 4,700 | $51/hr |
| 6 | Set and Exhibit Designers | $105,030 | $105,350 | 2,690 | $50/hr |
| 7 | Technical Writers | $104,000 | $117,060 | 5,280 | $50/hr |
| 8 | Commercial and Industrial Designers | $100,770 | $108,400 | 5,300 | $48/hr |
| 9 | Craft Artists | $100,540 | $110,420 | 170 | $48/hr |
| 10 | Editors | $98,030 | $111,810 | 14,830 | $47/hr |
| 11 | Lighting Technicians | $94,070 | $93,240 | 2,950 | $45/hr |
| 12 | Music Directors and Composers | $93,090 | $108,530 | 2,510 | $44/hr |
| 13 | Film and Video Editors | $88,490 | $99,450 | 8,110 | $42/hr |
| 14 | Writers and Authors | $86,480 | $106,560 | 8,390 | $41/hr |
| 15 | Public Relations Specialists | $85,030 | $97,140 | 32,710 | $40/hr |
| 16 | Interior Designers | $80,230 | $89,740 | 8,500 | $38/hr |
| 17 | Athletes and Sports Competitors | $79,040 | $294,080 | 830 | $38/hr |
| 18 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $78,150 | $87,550 | 4,060 | $37/hr |
| 19 | Graphic Designers | $75,130 | $86,800 | 27,390 | $36/hr |
| 20 | Choreographers | $75,000 | $85,790 | 410 | $36/hr |
| 21 | Broadcast Technicians | $72,800 | $79,420 | 2,340 | $35/hr |
| 22 | Interpreters and Translators | $70,770 | $78,800 | 5,560 | $34/hr |
| 23 | Audio and Video Technicians | $64,620 | $73,150 | 9,280 | $31/hr |
| 24 | Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $58,240 | $104,570 | 2,560 | $28/hr |
| 25 | Photographers | $47,840 | $70,040 | 7,980 | $23/hr |
| 26 | Coaches and Scouts | $47,660 | $62,020 | 31,150 | $22/hr |
| 27 | Floral Designers | $47,040 | $48,540 | 4,080 | $22/hr |
| 28 | Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers | $47,010 | $49,090 | 17,840 | $22/hr |
| 29 | Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | $44,530 | $53,960 | 1,950 | $21/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across California:
California has 29 Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations with 266,920 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Arts, Design & Entertainment occupation in California is Art Directors with a median salary of $137,780/year.
The average median salary across 29 Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations in California is $84,987/year.
Salaries in Arts, Design & Entertainment in California range from $35,110 (entry-level) to $306,850 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations use SOC prefix 27. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 27* in California. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources