Careers / Motion Picture Projectionists
Motion Picture Projectionists — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$38,270
United States, 2025
Employment
1,480
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.
- O*NET code
- 39-3021.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Set up and adjust picture projectors and screens to achieve proper size, illumination, and focus of images, and proper volume and tone of sound.
- Inspect projection equipment prior to operation to ensure proper working order.
- Perform minor repairs, such as replacing worn sprockets, or notify maintenance personnel of the need for major repairs.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$23,390
25th percentile
$30,040
75th percentile
$77,730
90th percentile
$88,310
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Operation and Control3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Repairing2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Monitoring2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 5 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
5
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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Compare with Motion Picture ProjectionistsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $92,180 | 100 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $85,460 | — | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $82,270 | 230 | 2025 |
| NY | $82,260 | 270 | 2025 |
| IL | $78,990 | — | 2025 |
| CA | $74,840 | 190 | 2025 |
| WA | $39,070 | 60 | 2025 |
| MI | $37,590 | — | 2025 |
| OH | $36,870 | 50 | 2025 |
| AZ | $32,890 | — | 2025 |
| TX | $31,160 | 40 | 2025 |
| PA | $29,850 | 40 | 2025 |
| MO | $29,140 | — | 2025 |
| IA | $23,210 | 100 | 2025 |
| TN | $22,750 | 90 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Motion Picture Projectionists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.