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Lighting Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Lighting Director make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lighting Director in the United States is $60,925 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,127
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,652 to $66,265
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,762
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Lighting Director Salaries

A Lighting Director'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lighting Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lighting Director'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $47,421
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $53,111
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $61,222
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $82,803
  • Expert (over 8 years): $129,733
Levels Salary
Transacti... Level Lighting Director$47,421
Transacti... Level Lighting Director$53,111
Lighting ... Level Lighting Director$61,222
Transacti... Level Lighting Director$82,803
Transacti... Level Lighting Director$129,733
View as Graph

How Do Lighting Director 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 Lighting Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $67,456.
  • California: $67,200.
  • Massachusetts: $66,305.

Top Paying Cities for Lighting Directors

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: $76,845
  • San Francisco: $76,004
  • Oakland: $74,402

What Skills Can Increase a Lighting Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Problem Solving (Mentioned in 4.84% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
  • Data Input (Mentioned in 3.33% Job Postings): Data input are information's that is provided to a computer or a software program. Input means to provide the program with some data to be used in it.
  • Accounting (Mentioned in 1.51% Job Postings): Creating financial statements and reports based on the summary of financial and business transactions.
Skills Demand Percentage
Problem Solving 4.84%
Data Input 3.33%
Accounting 1.51%
See More Skills

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 Lighting Director's salary.

  • Data Validation: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
  • Economics: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Organizing: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Data Validation $73,110
20%
Economics $72,501
19%
Organizing $70,064
15%
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Lighting Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lighting Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Lighting Director positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lighting Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lighting Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$67,018$32.010%
Biotechnology$67,018$32.010%
Energy & Utilities$67,018$32.010%
Financial Services$67,018$32.010%
Healthcare$67,018$32.010%

Lighting Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lighting Director'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
$56,652
Average $60,925/year
$66,265
$4,721
Average $5,077/month
$5,522
$1,089
Average $1,172/week
$1,274
$27
Average $29/hour
$32
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $66,265 $5,522 $1,274 $32
Average $60,925 $5,077 $1,172 $29
25th Percentile $56,652 $4,721 $1,089 $27

Most common benefits for Lighting Director

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

Common company salaries for Lighting Director

Here are companies hiring for Lighting Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Lighting Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lighting Director?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Lighting Director roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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.

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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