What are the main factors that influence a Background Actor's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Background Actor's salary?

A Background Actor's salary grows with experience: an Background Actor (0-0 years)earns $63,709, an Asst. Professor - Computer Science (0-0 years)earns $87,292, an Assoc. Professor - Computer Science (0-0 years)earns $105,519, a Professor - Computer Science (0-0 years)earns $127,087,

What are the highest paying states for a Background Actor?

Background Actor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Background Actor roles are District of Columbia $68,405, California $68,146, Massachusetts $67,238. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Background Actor roles make?

Salaries for Background Actor level roles vary by specialization: Background Investigator: $71,953; Broadway Actor: $71,626; Background Artist: $65,616; Actor/Performer: $64,619; Background Painter: $53,734.

How do different companies affect a Background Actor's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Background Actor roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Background Actor Salary in the United States

How much does a Background Actor make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Background Actor in the United States is $61,782 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,456
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,536 to $69,986
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,118

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Background Actor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$69,986	$5,832	$1,346	$34
Average	$61,782	$5,149	$1,188	$30
25th Percentile	$52,536	$4,378	$1,010	$25

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Background Actor Salaries

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

How Do Background Actor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Background Actors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,405.
California: $68,146.
Massachusetts: $67,238.

District of Columbia $68,405 California $68,146 Massachusetts $67,238 Washington $66,991 New Jersey $66,966 Alaska $66,879 Connecticut $66,027 New York $65,681

Hawaii $64,575 Rhode Island $64,056 Maryland $63,704 Minnesota $63,222 Colorado $63,036 Illinois $62,975 Oregon $62,740 Delaware $62,567

New Hampshire $62,458 Virginia $62,215 Pennsylvania $61,504 Nevada $61,146 North Dakota $61,029 Michigan $60,843 Wisconsin $60,775 Vermont $60,639

Texas $60,262 Maine $60,238 Arizona $60,201 Ohio $60,157 Georgia $59,589 Indiana $59,305 Wyoming $59,249 Utah $59,163

Iowa $59,126 Kansas $58,829 Louisiana $58,743 North Carolina $58,712 Missouri $58,699 Florida $58,458 Montana $58,329 Nebraska $58,205

Kentucky $58,137 South Carolina $57,890 Tennessee $57,736 Idaho $57,674 New Mexico $57,223 Oklahoma $57,124 Alabama $56,759 South Dakota $56,148

Arkansas $55,814 West Virginia $55,635 Mississippi $55,097

Top Paying Cities for Background Actors

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: $77,926
San Francisco: $77,073
Oakland: $75,449

San Jose, CA $77,926

San Francisco, CA $77,073

Oakland, CA $75,449

New York, NY $71,136

Paramus, NJ $70,271

Queens Village, NY $70,267

Passaic, NJ $70,209

Bergenfield, NJ $70,203

Stamford, CT $70,067

Huntington, NY $70,042

Newark, NJ $69,585

Bridgeport, CT $69,455

Vallejo, CA $69,332

New Brunswick, NJ $69,307

Petaluma, CA $69,270

Middlesex, NJ $69,153

Somerset, NJ $69,110

Santa Cruz, CA $69,029

Boston, MA $68,652

Monterey, CA $68,436

Seattle, WA $68,294

Santa Rosa, CA $68,282

Los Angeles, CA $68,263

Juneau, AK $68,103

Washington, DC $68,035

Orange, CA $67,815

Santa Ana, CA $67,652

Long Beach, CA $67,590

Anaheim, CA $67,577

Anchorage, AK $67,547

Santa Maria, CA $67,361

Everett, WA $67,349

Danbury, CT $67,131

Bremerton, WA $67,046

Tacoma, WA $66,824

New Suffolk, NY $66,823

Sacramento, CA $66,805

Santa Barbara, CA $66,737

Trenton, NJ $66,669

San Diego, CA $66,669

Brockton, MA $66,601

Fairbanks, AK $66,450

Lompoc, CA $66,292

Lowell, MA $66,242

Ventura, CA $66,231

Nashua, NH $66,218

Stockton, CA $66,212

Modesto, CA $65,761

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,625

Olympia, WA $65,508

Kennewick, WA $65,508

New Haven, CT $65,483

Lawrence, MA $65,261

Hartford, CT $65,199

Riverside, CA $65,187

New Bedford, MA $65,125

Richland, WA $65,125

Bakersfield, CA $65,038

San Bernardino, CA $65,014

New Britain, CT $65,007

Atlantic City, NJ $65,007

New London, CT $64,983

Norwich, CT $64,964

Portsmouth, NH $64,952

Boulder, CO $64,821

Portland, OR $64,735

Worcester, MA $64,729

Minneapolis, MN $64,538

Philadelphia, PA $64,451

Honolulu, HI $64,247

Saint Paul, MN $64,218

Vineland, NJ $64,204

Providence, RI $64,025

Chicago, IL $63,846

Bellingham, WA $63,772

Springfield, MA $63,722

Baltimore, MD $63,704

Chico, CA $63,549

Pittsfield, MA $63,382

Manchester, NH $63,265

Spokane, WA $62,993

Denver, CO $62,987

Albany, NY $62,697

Troy, NY $62,672

Nassau, NY $62,606

Schenectady, NY $62,542

Wilmington, DE $62,493

Burlington, VT $62,406

Salem, OR $62,382

Portland, ME $62,190

Yakima, WA $62,128

Rochester, MN $61,937

Reno, NV $61,906

Fresno, CA $61,906

Milwaukee, WI $61,850

Detroit, MI $61,788

Ann Arbor, MI $61,778

Allentown, PA $61,770

Colorado Springs, CO $61,665

Syracuse, NY $61,634

Carson City, NV $61,634

Houston, TX $61,548

Eugene, OR $61,517

Gary, IN $61,442

Springfield, OR $61,393

Bismarck, ND $61,381

Galveston, TX $61,337

Medford, OR $61,245

Fort Collins, CO $61,220

Concord, NH $61,189

Austin, TX $61,171

Mesa, AZ $61,041

Reading, PA $61,035

Phoenix, AZ $61,029

Dallas, TX $61,010

Saint Cloud, MN $60,951

Madison, WI $60,868

Utica, NY $60,701

Rochester, NY $60,602

Des Moines, IA $60,596

Raleigh, NC $60,590

Atlanta, GA $60,497

Battle Creek, MI $60,479

Salt Lake City, UT $60,460

Lancaster, PA $60,367

Harrisburg, PA $60,281

Kansas City, MO $60,219

Champaign, IL $60,207

Kansas City, KS $60,207

Fort Worth, TX $60,201

Columbus, OH $60,190

Boca Raton, FL $60,176

Pittsburgh, PA $60,151

Richmond, VA $60,127

Indianapolis, IN $60,114

Cleveland, OH $60,108

Las Vegas, NV $60,034

Cincinnati, OH $60,034

Petersburg, VA $59,941

Huntsville, AL $59,849

Lansing, MI $59,807

Lebanon, PA $59,799

Pueblo, CO $59,793

Appleton, WI $59,774

Buffalo, NY $59,750

Dayton, OH $59,731

Racine, WI $59,719

Charlotte, NC $59,713

Saint Louis, MO $59,694

York, PA $59,657

Elkhart, IN $59,657

Gastonia, NC $59,645

Billings, MT $59,630

Beaumont, TX $59,614

Lorain, OH $59,601

Benton Harbor, MI $59,589

Toledo, OH $59,577

Binghamton, NY $59,546

Rock Hill, SC $59,540

Rockford, IL $59,509

Springfield, IL $59,484

Elyria, OH $59,478

Fargo, ND $59,478

Flagstaff, AZ $59,435

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,398

Duluth, MN $59,360

Miami, FL $59,360

Cheyenne, WY $59,317

Grand Forks, ND $59,317

Bangor, ME $59,181

Cedar Rapids, IA $59,113

Durham, NC $59,087

Louisville, KY $59,082

Grand Rapids, MI $59,070

Hialeah, FL $59,064

Casper, WY $58,977

Scranton, PA $58,903

New Orleans, LA $58,885

Virginia Beach, VA $58,879

Akron, OH $58,848

Peoria, IL $58,767

Sarasota, FL $58,755

Nashville, TN $58,712

Omaha, NE $58,712

Green Bay, WI $58,712

Baton Rouge, LA $58,681

Charleston, SC $58,668

Jamestown, NY $58,638

Davenport, IA $58,638

Tucson, AZ $58,607

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,570

Tampa, FL $58,557

Evansville, IN $58,520

Port Arthur, TX $58,520

Bradenton, FL $58,495

Santa Fe, NM $58,384

Orlando, FL $58,273

Clearwater, FL $58,255

Canton, OH $58,125

La Crosse, WI $58,125

Albuquerque, NM $58,088

Newport News, VA $58,082

High Point, NC $58,063

Ogden, UT $58,038

Corpus Christi, TX $57,989

Norfolk, VA $57,952

Laramie, WY $57,952

Rock Island, IL $57,915

Saginaw, MI $57,902

Jacksonville, FL $57,896

Salisbury, NC $57,884

Boise, ID $57,871

Moline, IL $57,841

Fort Myers, FL $57,822

Memphis, TN $57,810

Tulsa, OK $57,779

Waterloo, IA $57,742

Spartanburg, SC $57,680

Lincoln, NE $57,649

Fort Wayne, IN $57,637

Provo, UT $57,631

Cedar Falls, IA $57,556

San Antonio, TX $57,532

Greensboro, NC $57,507

South Bend, IN $57,501

Savannah, GA $57,433

Muskegon, MI $57,408

Birmingham, AL $57,402

Winston Salem, NC $57,372

Lake Charles, LA $57,223

Anderson, IN $57,210

Lexington, KY $57,192

Augusta, GA $57,173

Greenville, SC $57,173

Lima, OH $57,124

Wichita, KS $57,118

Tuscaloosa, AL $57,118

Columbia, SC $57,062

Springfield, OH $57,050

Asheville, NC $56,951

Bloomington, IN $56,908

Knoxville, TN $56,685

Shreveport, LA $56,679

Wilmington, NC $56,599

Roanoke, VA $56,599

Topeka, KS $56,488

Frankfort, KY $56,481

Oklahoma City, OK $56,438

Chillicothe, OH $56,413

Longview, TX $56,407

Melbourne, FL $56,401

Sioux Falls, SD $56,302

Mobile, AL $56,296

Terre Haute, IN $56,271

Altoona, PA $56,234

Amarillo, TX $56,191

Killeen, TX $56,172

Fayetteville, AR $56,123

Chattanooga, TN $56,105

Sioux City, IA $56,049

Idaho Falls, ID $56,037

Lynchburg, VA $55,987

Gainesville, FL $55,907

Portsmouth, OH $55,876

Little Rock, AR $55,864

Lafayette, LA $55,839

Youngstown, OH $55,839

Daytona Beach, FL $55,802

Clarksville, TN $55,796

Pensacola, FL $55,789

Temple, TX $55,785

Hopkinsville, KY $55,604

Erie, PA $55,592

Florence, SC $55,567

Charleston, WV $55,468

Great Falls, MT $55,437

Macon, GA $55,351

Tallahassee, FL $55,345

Fayetteville, NC $55,332

Waco, TX $55,320

Helena, MT $55,277

Pine Bluff, AR $55,253

Vincennes, IN $55,178

Lubbock, TX $55,153

Alamogordo, NM $55,116

Twin Falls, ID $55,060

Rapid City, SD $55,042

Jackson, MS $54,931

Huntington, WV $54,926

Greenville, MS $54,924

Parkersburg, WV $54,861

Montgomery, AL $54,850

Wichita Falls, TX $54,789

Springfield, MO $54,789

Biloxi, MS $54,758

Monroe, LA $54,696

Johnstown, PA $54,653

Sumter, SC $54,628

Columbus, GA $54,622

Pascagoula, MS $54,504

Abilene, TX $54,504

Kingsport, TN $54,344

Albany, GA $54,344

Gulfport, MS $54,325

Alexandria, LA $54,121

Fort Smith, AR $53,967

El Paso, TX $53,800

Las Cruces, NM $53,522

Harlingen, TX $53,365

Pocatello, ID $53,355

Florence, AL $53,275

Brownsville, TX $53,263

Mcallen, TX $53,133

Dothan, AL $53,046

Columbus, MS $52,679

Altus, OK $52,391

Lawton, OK $52,274

Pierre, SD $52,052

What Skills Can Increase a Background Actor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 10.52% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Law Enforcement (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Law enforcement is any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. Although the term encompasses entities such as courts and prisons, it is most frequently applied to those who directly engage in patrols or surveillance to dissuade and discover criminal activity, and those who investigate crimes and apprehend offenders, a task typically carried out by the police or another law enforcement organization. Furthermore, although law enforcement may be most concerned with the prevention and punishment of crimes, organizations exist to discourage a wide variety of non-criminal violations of rules and norms, effected through the imposition of less severe consequences.
First Aid (Mentioned in 1.21% Job Postings): First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	10.52%
Law Enforcement	1.86%
First Aid	1.21%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Background Actor's salary.

Coaching Others: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
IDEA: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Coaching Others	$67,343	9%
IDEA	$64,871	5%
Commitment	$64,254	4%
Facilitation	$63,636	3%
Spring	$63,636	3%
Presentation	$63,636	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Background Actor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Background Actors enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Background Actor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $60,440 and $69,013).

Background Actor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Background Actor

No Diploma 1.0%

High School 2.0%

Associates 10.8%

Bachelors 26.5%

Masters 54.9%

Doctorate 4.9%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.0%
High School	2.0%
Associates	10.8%
Bachelors	26.5%
Masters	54.9%
Doctorate	4.9%

view as graph

Background Actor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Background Actor'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 May 01, 2026

$52,536

Average $61,782/year

$69,986

$4,378

Average $5,149/month

$5,832

$1,010

Average $1,188/week

$1,346

$25

Average $30/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$69,986	$5,832	$1,346	$34
Average	$61,782	$5,149	$1,188	$30
25th Percentile	$52,536	$4,378	$1,010	$25

Salaries of jobs related to Background Actor

Salary Trends for Background Actor

Salaries for a Background Actor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,744 in 2023 to around $53,843 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Background Actor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Background Actor Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$55,744

2024

$55,031

2025

$53,843

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$55,744
2024	$55,031
2025	$53,843
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Background Actor

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Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.)

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