Choreographers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for choreographers in the U.S. is $55,310 ($26.59 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $55,310
- Mean annual wage
- $73,100
- Median hourly wage
- $26.59
- Employment
- 2,860
2,860 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,090 | $16.39 |
| 25th percentile | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| Median (50th) | $55,310 | $26.59 |
| 75th percentile | $75,710 | $36.40 |
| 90th percentile | $138,630 | $66.65 |
Highest-paying states for choreographers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $173,100 | 340 |
| California | $75,000 | 410 |
| Minnesota | $74,810 | 40 |
| Maryland | $69,140 | 80 |
| Ohio | $66,910 | 120 |
| Louisiana | $51,170 | 210 |
| Nebraska | $49,490 | 60 |
| Texas | $46,460 | 380 |
| Indiana | $44,840 | — |
| South Dakota | $40,320 | 250 |
Lowest-paying states
- Utah: $33,640 median annual wage
- Illinois: $34,560 median annual wage
- Florida: $36,670 median annual wage
- Alabama: $38,990 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $40,320 median annual wage
About this occupation
Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
Typical tasks
- Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
- Read and study story lines and musical scores to determine how to translate ideas and moods into dance movements.
- Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
- Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
- Audition performers for one or more dance parts.
- Design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 29.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 24.2% |
| Associate's degree | 5.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 31.1% |
| Master's degree | 5.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.