How much does a Documentary Producer make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Documentary Producer in the United States is $74,353 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Documentary Producer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $84,694
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,746 to $79,766
Key Factors That Influence Documentary Producer Salaries
A Documentary Producer'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 Experience Level Affects Documentary Producer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Documentary Producer'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:
How Do Documentary Producer 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 Documentary Producers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $93,781
San Francisco: $92,754
Oakland: $90,799
San Jose, CA$93,781
San Francisco, CA$92,754
Oakland, CA$90,799
New York, NY$85,609
Paramus, NJ$84,568
Queens Village, NY$84,564
Passaic, NJ$84,493
Bergenfield, NJ$84,487
Stamford, CT$84,323
Huntington, NY$84,293
Newark, NJ$83,743
Bridgeport, CT$83,586
Vallejo, CA$83,438
New Brunswick, NJ$83,409
Petaluma, CA$83,364
Middlesex, NJ$83,223
Somerset, NJ$83,171
Santa Cruz, CA$83,074
Boston, MA$82,620
Monterey, CA$82,360
Seattle, WA$82,189
Santa Rosa, CA$82,174
Los Angeles, CA$82,152
Juneau, AK$81,959
Washington, DC$81,877
Orange, CA$81,612
Santa Ana, CA$81,416
Long Beach, CA$81,342
Anaheim, CA$81,327
Anchorage, AK$81,290
Santa Maria, CA$81,067
Everett, WA$81,052
Danbury, CT$80,790
Bremerton, WA$80,687
Tacoma, WA$80,420
New Suffolk, NY$80,418
Sacramento, CA$80,397
Santa Barbara, CA$80,316
Trenton, NJ$80,234
San Diego, CA$80,234
Brockton, MA$80,152
Fairbanks, AK$79,970
Lompoc, CA$79,780
Lowell, MA$79,720
Ventura, CA$79,706
Nashua, NH$79,691
Stockton, CA$79,684
Modesto, CA$79,141
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,977
Olympia, WA$78,836
Kennewick, WA$78,836
New Haven, CT$78,806
Lawrence, MA$78,539
Hartford, CT$78,464
Riverside, CA$78,449
New Bedford, MA$78,375
Richland, WA$78,375
Bakersfield, CA$78,271
San Bernardino, CA$78,241
New Britain, CT$78,234
Atlantic City, NJ$78,234
New London, CT$78,204
Norwich, CT$78,182
Portsmouth, NH$78,167
Boulder, CO$78,009
Portland, OR$77,907
Worcester, MA$77,899
Minneapolis, MN$77,669
Philadelphia, PA$77,565
Honolulu, HI$77,319
Saint Paul, MN$77,283
Vineland, NJ$77,267
Providence, RI$77,051
Chicago, IL$76,836
Bellingham, WA$76,747
Springfield, MA$76,687
Baltimore, MD$76,665
Chico, CA$76,479
Pittsfield, MA$76,278
Manchester, NH$76,137
Spokane, WA$75,810
Denver, CO$75,802
Albany, NY$75,453
Troy, NY$75,423
Nassau, NY$75,344
Schenectady, NY$75,267
Wilmington, DE$75,208
Burlington, VT$75,103
Salem, OR$75,074
Portland, ME$74,843
Yakima, WA$74,769
Rochester, MN$74,538
Reno, NV$74,501
Fresno, CA$74,501
Milwaukee, WI$74,434
Detroit, MI$74,360
Ann Arbor, MI$74,347
Allentown, PA$74,338
Colorado Springs, CO$74,211
Syracuse, NY$74,174
Carson City, NV$74,174
Houston, TX$74,070
Eugene, OR$74,033
Gary, IN$73,944
Springfield, OR$73,884
Bismarck, ND$73,869
Galveston, TX$73,817
Medford, OR$73,706
Fort Collins, CO$73,676
Concord, NH$73,639
Austin, TX$73,616
Mesa, AZ$73,460
Reading, PA$73,453
Phoenix, AZ$73,445
Dallas, TX$73,423
Saint Cloud, MN$73,352
Madison, WI$73,252
Utica, NY$73,051
Rochester, NY$72,932
Des Moines, IA$72,925
Raleigh, NC$72,917
Atlanta, GA$72,806
Battle Creek, MI$72,784
Salt Lake City, UT$72,761
Lancaster, PA$72,650
Harrisburg, PA$72,546
Kansas City, MO$72,471
Champaign, IL$72,457
Kansas City, KS$72,457
Fort Worth, TX$72,449
Columbus, OH$72,436
Boca Raton, FL$72,419
Pittsburgh, PA$72,390
Richmond, VA$72,360
Indianapolis, IN$72,345
Cleveland, OH$72,338
Las Vegas, NV$72,248
Cincinnati, OH$72,248
Petersburg, VA$72,137
Huntsville, AL$72,025
Lansing, MI$71,975
Lebanon, PA$71,966
Pueblo, CO$71,958
Appleton, WI$71,936
Buffalo, NY$71,906
Dayton, OH$71,884
Racine, WI$71,869
Charlotte, NC$71,862
Saint Louis, MO$71,839
York, PA$71,795
Elkhart, IN$71,795
Gastonia, NC$71,781
Billings, MT$71,763
Beaumont, TX$71,743
Lorain, OH$71,728
Benton Harbor, MI$71,713
Toledo, OH$71,698
Binghamton, NY$71,661
Rock Hill, SC$71,654
Rockford, IL$71,616
Springfield, IL$71,587
Elyria, OH$71,579
Fargo, ND$71,579
Flagstaff, AZ$71,527
Fort Lauderdale, FL$71,482
Duluth, MN$71,438
Miami, FL$71,438
Cheyenne, WY$71,386
Grand Forks, ND$71,386
Bangor, ME$71,222
Cedar Rapids, IA$71,140
Durham, NC$71,109
Louisville, KY$71,103
Grand Rapids, MI$71,088
Hialeah, FL$71,081
Casper, WY$70,977
Scranton, PA$70,888
New Orleans, LA$70,865
Virginia Beach, VA$70,858
Akron, OH$70,821
Peoria, IL$70,724
Sarasota, FL$70,709
Nashville, TN$70,657
Omaha, NE$70,657
Green Bay, WI$70,657
Baton Rouge, LA$70,620
Charleston, SC$70,605
Jamestown, NY$70,568
Davenport, IA$70,568
Tucson, AZ$70,531
Saint Petersburg, FL$70,486
Tampa, FL$70,471
Evansville, IN$70,427
Port Arthur, TX$70,427
Bradenton, FL$70,397
Santa Fe, NM$70,263
Orlando, FL$70,129
Clearwater, FL$70,107
Canton, OH$69,951
La Crosse, WI$69,951
Albuquerque, NM$69,906
Newport News, VA$69,899
High Point, NC$69,876
Ogden, UT$69,847
Corpus Christi, TX$69,787
Norfolk, VA$69,743
Laramie, WY$69,743
Rock Island, IL$69,698
Saginaw, MI$69,683
Jacksonville, FL$69,676
Salisbury, NC$69,661
Boise, ID$69,646
Moline, IL$69,609
Fort Myers, FL$69,587
Memphis, TN$69,572
Tulsa, OK$69,534
Waterloo, IA$69,490
Spartanburg, SC$69,415
Lincoln, NE$69,378
Fort Wayne, IN$69,363
Provo, UT$69,356
Cedar Falls, IA$69,267
San Antonio, TX$69,237
Greensboro, NC$69,207
South Bend, IN$69,200
Savannah, GA$69,118
Muskegon, MI$69,088
Birmingham, AL$69,081
Winston Salem, NC$69,044
Lake Charles, LA$68,865
Anderson, IN$68,850
Lexington, KY$68,828
Augusta, GA$68,806
Greenville, SC$68,806
Lima, OH$68,746
Wichita, KS$68,739
Tuscaloosa, AL$68,739
Columbia, SC$68,672
Springfield, OH$68,657
Asheville, NC$68,538
Bloomington, IN$68,486
Knoxville, TN$68,218
Shreveport, LA$68,211
Wilmington, NC$68,114
Roanoke, VA$68,114
Topeka, KS$67,980
Frankfort, KY$67,972
Oklahoma City, OK$67,921
Chillicothe, OH$67,891
Longview, TX$67,884
Melbourne, FL$67,876
Sioux Falls, SD$67,757
Mobile, AL$67,750
Terre Haute, IN$67,720
Altoona, PA$67,676
Amarillo, TX$67,624
Killeen, TX$67,601
Fayetteville, AR$67,542
Chattanooga, TN$67,520
Sioux City, IA$67,453
Idaho Falls, ID$67,438
Lynchburg, VA$67,378
Gainesville, FL$67,282
Portsmouth, OH$67,244
Little Rock, AR$67,230
Lafayette, LA$67,200
Youngstown, OH$67,200
Daytona Beach, FL$67,155
Clarksville, TN$67,148
Pensacola, FL$67,140
Temple, TX$67,135
Hopkinsville, KY$66,917
Erie, PA$66,902
Florence, SC$66,873
Charleston, WV$66,754
Great Falls, MT$66,716
Macon, GA$66,612
Tallahassee, FL$66,605
Fayetteville, NC$66,590
Waco, TX$66,575
Helena, MT$66,523
Pine Bluff, AR$66,495
Vincennes, IN$66,404
Lubbock, TX$66,374
Alamogordo, NM$66,330
Twin Falls, ID$66,263
Rapid City, SD$66,241
Jackson, MS$66,107
Huntington, WV$66,102
Greenville, MS$66,099
Parkersburg, WV$66,024
Montgomery, AL$66,010
Wichita Falls, TX$65,936
Springfield, MO$65,936
Biloxi, MS$65,899
Monroe, LA$65,824
Johnstown, PA$65,772
Sumter, SC$65,742
Columbus, GA$65,735
Pascagoula, MS$65,594
Abilene, TX$65,594
Kingsport, TN$65,400
Albany, GA$65,400
Gulfport, MS$65,378
Alexandria, LA$65,133
Fort Smith, AR$64,947
El Paso, TX$64,746
Las Cruces, NM$64,412
Harlingen, TX$64,223
Pocatello, ID$64,211
Florence, AL$64,114
Brownsville, TX$64,099
Mcallen, TX$63,943
Dothan, AL$63,839
Columbus, MS$63,397
Altus, OK$63,051
Lawton, OK$62,910
Pierre, SD$62,642
What Skills Can Increase a Documentary Producer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 2.57% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
SOP (Mentioned in 1.31% Job Postings): SOP is A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
Packaging Engineering (Mentioned in 0.83% Job Postings): Packaging engineering, also package engineering, packaging technology and packaging science, is a broad topic ranging from design conceptualization to product placement. All steps along the manufacturing process, and more, must be taken into account in the design of the package for any given product. Package engineering is an interdisciplinary field integrating science, engineering, technology and management to protect and identify products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. It encompasses the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. It is a system integral to the value chain that impacts product quality, user satisfaction, distribution efficiencies, and safety. includes industry-specific aspects of industrial engineering, marketing, materials science, industrial design and logistics. Packaging engineers must interact with research and development, manufacturing, marketing, graphic design, regulatory, purchasing, planning and so on. The package must sell and protect the product, while maintaining an efficient, cost-effective process cycle.
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 Documentary Producer's salary.
Use Cases: Can increase your salary by up to 38%.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Continuous Quality Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Documentary Producer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Documentary Producer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Documentary Producer positions in Chemicals or Telecom typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Documentary Producer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Documentary Producer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$89,223
$43.0
20%
Financial Services
$85,505
$41.0
15%
Insurance
$85,505
$41.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$81,788
$39.0
10%
Construction
$81,788
$39.0
10%
How Education impacts a Documentary Producer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Documentary Producers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Documentary Producer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$70,495
and $74,550).
Documentary Producer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Documentary Producer'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.
Salaries for a Documentary Producer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $73,729 in 2023
to around $72,744 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Documentary Producer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Documentary Producer Over Time
$???
$73,729
$73,405
$72,744
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$73,729
2024
$73,405
2025
$72,744
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Documentary Producer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Documentary Producer
Here are companies hiring for Documentary Producer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Documentary Producer Job
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FAQ about Documentary Producer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Documentary Producer?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Documentary Producer roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
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.
