<p>we all no that the average actor makes very little money each year and that only about 5% are making 6 figures or more. i was wondering are their any statistics comparing the pay of college graduates with a degree and the pay of actors who did not get a formal education at some sort of conservatory or university?</p>
<p>I've never seen such a study and doubt that one exists. Equity minimum is currently $1465/week, I believe, which is a good salary IF you are in a longrunning show and are actually going to be working for the full year. Most shows do not last that long so it's a big IF. :)</p>
<p>When Carol Channing went to college to get her BA, she didn't have statistics to compare her potential salary against the ex-Vaudeville performers who were lucky to graduate 6th grade. From the way her autobiography reads, it's clear she always expected to go to college. Different generations enter adulthood under different conditions. If there were such a study today, it would certainly be flawed to compare the results of different generations. A study which focuses only on twenty-somethings would be premature. I don't think there would be any validity to such a study.</p>
<p>It would be challenging, indeed, to do such a study. And someone would not only have to do it in a valid way, but also pay for the conducting of the study. I don't see that happening. Actors who graduate from college with BA or BFA degrees earn their livings in a variety of ways, from waiting tables and working as paid actors when they can get jobs to teaching, etc.</p>
<p>whoooaaa, equity minimum is NOT 1400 a week. -Broadway- minimum for equity is around $1000 a week in the big houses. top level regional theatre will be around 500-800 a week, and the vast majority of local equity contracts having a minimum of around 200-400 a week. </p>
<p>and its not 5% making over six figures, its 5% making above $60,000 or so. believe me, unless you are getting -regular- work on broadway or the top regional houses, you wont be able to survive on anything but a poverty level if you rely completely on acting.</p>
<p>you can look up every different kind of equity contract and the corresponding minimum scale on this page.</p>
<p>Gregory Paul - </p>
<p>You are incorrect about Equity Production Contract Minimum. It is currently $1,422/week for actors and will go up to $1,465 as of June 26th (2 weeks from today). You can view the current Equity Production Contract here:
<a href="http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks/Production_Rulebook_League_04-08.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks/Production_Rulebook_League_04-08.pdf</a></p>
<p>(All those who have a "speciality" in a show - compromising everything from tumbling to ensemble features - or hazard pay have riders attached to their contracts that give them a bit more each week.)</p>
<p>The standard salary figures which I referenced are on p. 99 of that document - listed as Topic 63. This link is part of the Equity online document library, where you can look at ALL current contracts (dinner theatre, regional, etc.). It's pretty interesting reading! :)</p>
<p>But of course these are only Equity salaries - actors make money in other contracted performance jobs, as well - usually less, if they are doing stage jobs - and much more for most film and TV work.</p>
<p>Ah, I was mistaken about the broadway rates. but that notwithstanding, the minimums for all other theatres besides broadway and nat'l tours are still nowhere close.</p>