Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Actor salary in Minnesota
The average Actor salary in Minnesota is $54,000 per year on WePayFairly's 2026 basis. The 25th-to-75th-percentile range is $39,000 to $65,500. Based on BLS state wage data, aged to 2026.
The following occupation, experience, industry and career information describes the role nationally. For Minnesota pay, use the state figures above and the state salary questions below.
Total cash compensation
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: Less than a High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
Top skills:SpeakingReading ComprehensionSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningTime ManagementMonitoring
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Actor pay by experience level
Entry level$35,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$44,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$62,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$211,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$309,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+0.3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
6,300
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Actor salary by industry
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
25,610 workers
$77,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5,530 workers
$123,000
Educational Services
2,010 workers
$61,500
State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
400 workers
$59,500
Sectors 48 and 49 – Transportation and Warehousing
390 workers
$42,000
Health Care and Social Assistance
250 workers
$56,500
Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
160 workers
$53,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS
60 workers
$58,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$35,500
Early career25th percentile
$44,000
Median50th percentile
$62,500
Experienced75th percentile
$211,000
Top earners90th percentile
$309,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$125,500
2027$130,000
2028$134,500
2029$139,000
2030$144,000
2031$149,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Minnesota salary questions
How much does a Actor make in Minnesota?
The average base salary for a Actor in Minnesota is $54,000 per year, or about $25.96 per hour, on WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
What is the median Actor salary in Minnesota?
The median is $41,000 per year on the same 2026 basis. The median is the middle wage in the state distribution; the average is $54,000.
What is the typical Actor salary range in Minnesota?
The 25th-to-75th-percentile range in Minnesota is $39,000 to $65,500 per year on the 2026 basis. These percentiles describe the state wage distribution; individual pay varies by employer and experience.
How does Actor pay in Minnesota compare with the national average?
The Minnesota average of $54,000 is $71,500 (57.0%) below the national average of $125,500. Both figures use WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
Where do these Minnesota salary figures come from?
The state figures come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state data. WePayFairly applies the same compounded market movement factor used elsewhere on this page to express the published figures on a 2026 basis. They are estimates, not a guarantee of a particular offer.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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