Music Video Directors and Producers

Music video directors earn approximately 10 percent of a video's operating budget before production fees and insurance costs are factored into the budget. Budgets can range from as little as a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars for the creation of a video for a top artist. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that directors and producers earned median annual salaries of $82,510 in May 2023. The median annual salary for workers in all careers was $48,069. The top paid 10 percent of directors and producers earned more than $174,540, and the lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,040. The mean annual salary for directors and producers who were employed in the video and motion picture industries was $130,620. Top directors and producers can earn more than $1 million a year. Directors and producers who work on a freelance basis must pay for their own health insurance as well as the costs of operating a business.