Actors

Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or film productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.

Jobs growth:
0% projected 2024–2034
Some college, no degree
Typical Entry-Level Education

What They Do

Actors bring characters to life through performance, using their voices, bodies, and emotions to tell stories on stage, screen, or other media. They spend significant time rehearsing scripts, developing their characters' personalities and motivations, and working with directors to refine their interpretations. During performances or filming, they deliver lines, execute blocking and choreography, and react authentically to other performers while maintaining their character. Between projects, actors attend auditions, sometimes facing dozens of rejections before landing a role. They may work with acting coaches, take classes to expand their skills, and study different techniques to deepen their craft.

Programs That Prepare You

College programs linked to this occupation, ranked by graduate earnings

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of Idaho, ID
$64,954
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of Houston, TX
$61,314
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of Northern Colorado, CO
$59,486
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of Central Florida, FL
$53,911
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)New York University, NY
$44,742
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)The University of Texas at Austin, TX
$43,430
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Regent University, VA
$43,319
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Emerson College, MA
$39,309
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)CUNY Brooklyn College, NY
$38,598
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)Saint Mary's College of California, CA
$38,160
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
$37,985
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)University of Notre Dame, IN
$37,531
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Academy of Art University, CA
$36,635
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, VA
$36,557
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)California Institute of the Arts, CA
$35,156
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)University of Florida, FL
$34,588
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Florida Atlantic University, FL
$34,588
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)University of South Dakota, SD
$33,852
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)The University of Texas at Austin, TX
$33,261
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, PA
$33,169
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)Carnegie Mellon University, PA
$32,967
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Maharishi International University, IA
$32,294
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Florida State University, FL
$32,286
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(bachelors)University of Colorado Boulder, CO
$32,142
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft(masters)Loyola Marymount University, CA
$31,564

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