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.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$53,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$4,500
8.8% of base
Total target cash
$58,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,50050th$4,50075th$7,500
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.
About this role
Motion Picture Projectionist is a professional role within the function in the Personal Care and Service job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
Start projectors and open shutters to project images onto screens.
Open and close facilities according to rules and schedules.
Operate equipment to show films in a number of theaters simultaneously.
Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as rotating or replacing xenon bulbs, cleaning projectors and lenses, lubricating machinery, and keeping electrical contacts clean and tight.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringSpeakingReading ComprehensionOperation and ControlActive ListeningTroubleshooting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Motion Picture Projectionist pay by experience level
Entry level$24,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$31,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$39,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$80,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$91,500
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
-3.7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
500
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Motion Picture Projectionist salary by industry
Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
1,030 workers
$44,000
Motion Picture and Video Industries
1,030 workers
$44,000
Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries
170 workers
$70,500
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events
100 workers
$79,000
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
80 workers
$72,000
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
80 workers
$72,000
Performing Arts Companies
60 workers
$57,500
Educational Services
30 workers
$60,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
Start projectors and open shutters to project images onto screens.
Open and close facilities according to rules and schedules.
Operate equipment to show films in a number of theaters simultaneously.
Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as rotating or replacing xenon bulbs, cleaning projectors and lenses, lubricating machinery, and keeping electrical contacts clean and tight.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. 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.
How this role compares
Motion Picture Projectionist pays 13% above the average across 33 roles in the Personal Care and Service job family (family average $47,500).
Need Motion Picture Projectionist pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
