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How much does a Choreographer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Choreographer in the United States is $44,259 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, a Choreographer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,068
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,835 to $55,151
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,076

Key Factors That Influence Choreographer Salaries

A Choreographer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Choreographer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Choreographer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Extra/Stand-in (0-0 years): $39,729
  • Activity Specialist (0-0 years): $36,802
  • Director - Stage, Motion Pictures, Television (0-0 years): $39,729
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Extra/Stand-in0-0 years$39,729
Activity Specialist0-0 years$36,802
Director - Stage, Motion Pictures, Television0-0 years$39,729

Top Paying Cities for Choreographer

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $55,824
  • San Francisco: $55,213
  • Oakland: $54,049

What Skills Can Increase a Choreographer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Communicates Effectively (Mentioned in 10% Job Postings): Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose.
  • Casting (Mentioned in 5% Job Postings): Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. It is used for making complex shapes that would be otherwise difficult.
  • CornerStone (Mentioned in 5% Job Postings): A relational database for MS-DOS released by Infocom, a company best known in the 1980s for developing interactive fiction video games. It is generally considered a key factor in Infocom's demise.
Skills Demand Percentage
Communicates Effectively 10%
Casting 5%
CornerStone 5%

Choreographer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Choreographer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $44,259. While startup companies pay approximate $44,259.

Choreographer Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $44,259
Growth Stage 51~500 $44,259
Established 501~5000 $44,259
Enterprise 5000+ $44,259

Choreographer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Choreographer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$36,835
Average $44,259/year
$55,151
$3,070
Average $3,688/month
$4,596
$708
Average $851/week
$1,061
$18
Average $21/hour
$27
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $55,151 $4,596 $1,061 $27
Average $44,259 $3,688 $851 $21
25th Percentile $36,835 $3,070 $708 $18

Choreographer Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Choreographer, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Director - Stage, Motion Pictures, Television role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $39,729 - a projected growth of -10% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Choreographer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Choreographer

1. Where can a Choreographer earn the most?

A Choreographer's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Choreographer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Choreographer is $55,824.

2. What is the highest pay for Choreographer?

The highest pay for Choreographer is $65,068.

3. What is the lowest pay for Choreographer?

The lowest pay for Choreographer is $30,076.

4. What are the responsibilities of Choreographer?

Creates, teaches and/or directs dances for ballet, musical, or revue, to be performed in a variety production mediums. Applies a wide range techniques to dance. May require at least 5 years of professional experience. No formal education required.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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