Find Grad Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Talent Directors in California

Talent Directors in California

Considering working as a Talent Directors in California? Below are the key facts. Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.

What do Talent Directors Make in California?

For a talent directors working in California, the median annual wage is $122,150 per year (or roughly $58.73/hour).

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $51,600 $24.81
25th percentile $78,360 $37.68
Median (50th) $122,150 $58.73
75th percentile $170,720 $82.08
90th percentile n/a n/a
Salary ranges for Talent Directors in California

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California relative to the national average — is 2.10, suggesting that talent directors are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, talent directors earn a median of $73,937 per year ($35.55/hour), exceeding the California median.

Talent Directors earnings in California vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 169,297 talent directors in the U.S.. In California alone, around 35,650 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,290 talent directors.

Talent Directors in California vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Talent Directors

Top California Metros for Talent Directors

The metro areas below employ the most talent directors in California.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 24,110 $127,590
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 4,850 $122,210
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,360 n/a
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 1,040 $88,090
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 760 $81,720
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 590 $83,600
Fresno, CA 320 $75,700
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 230 n/a
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 140 $77,950
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 120 $76,950
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 110 $72,900
Salinas, CA 80 $69,120
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 60 $77,820
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 60 $84,660
Modesto, CA 40 $66,540
Stockton-Lodi, CA 40 $78,220
Vallejo, CA 40 $77,610
Napa, CA 30 $78,770
Redding, CA 30 $60,900

Top States for Talent Directors Employment

View the states that employ the most talent directors work.

State Number Employed
California 35,650
New York 29,720
Florida 8,160
Texas 7,270
Pennsylvania 4,400
Massachusetts 3,520
North Carolina 3,520
Georgia 3,470
Illinois 3,380
New Jersey 3,060
District of Columbia 2,810
Virginia 2,800
Washington 2,710
Connecticut 2,080
Michigan 2,010
Maryland 1,980
Ohio 1,870
Colorado 1,870
Tennessee 1,850
Indiana 1,670

Highest-Paying States for Talent Directors

The highest-paying states for talent directors.

State Annual Median Salary
California $122,150
New Jersey $107,850
New York $104,010
District of Columbia $99,900
Delaware $93,930
Connecticut $85,710
Florida $81,240
Oregon $80,610
Washington $79,220
Massachusetts $79,100

Skills

The most important talent directors skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  3.9 / 5
0
5
Social Perceptiveness  3.9 / 5
0
5
Judgment and Decision Making  3.9 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

English Language  4.2 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  4.0 / 5
0
5
Communications and Media  3.6 / 5
0
5
Personnel and Human Resources  3.6 / 5
0
5
Administration and Management  3.5 / 5
0
5
Administrative  3.4 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for talent directors, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Expression  4.1 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  3.8 / 5
0
5
Speech Clarity  3.8 / 5
0
5
Originality  3.6 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, talent directors typically:

  • Audition and interview performers to match their attributes to specific roles or to increase the pool of available acting talent.
  • Prepare actors for auditions by providing scripts and information about roles and casting requirements.
  • Select performers for roles or submit lists of suitable performers to producers or directors for final selection.
  • Contact agents and actors to provide notification of audition and performance opportunities and to set up audition times.
  • Serve as liaisons between directors, actors, and agents.
  • Negotiate contract agreements with performers, with agents, or between performers and agents or production companies.
  • Arrange for or design screen tests or auditions for prospective performers.
  • Review performer information, such as photos, resumes, voice tapes, videos, and union membership, to decide whom to audition for parts.
  • Maintain talent files that include information such as performers' specialties, past performances, and availability.
  • Read scripts and confer with producers to determine the types and numbers of performers required for a given production.
  • Attend or view productions to maintain knowledge of available actors.
  • Direct shows, productions, and plays.

Work Activities

  • Getting Information
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  • Thinking Creatively
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
  • Scheduling Work and Activities
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
  • Working with Computers
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Amazon Web Services AWS software, Linux In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

  • Film, Video & Photographic Arts
  • Drama & Theater Arts
  • Arts & Media Management
  • Radio, TV & Digital Communication

Careers similar to talent directors include:

Also Known As

Artist Manager, Artistic Director, Casting Agent, Casting Coordinator, Casting Director, Contestant Coordinator, Entertainment Agent, Extras Casting Director, Model Booker, Pageant Director, Repertoire Manager, Talent Agent, Talent Producer, Talent Scout.

References

Find Graduate Schools Near You

Our school finder matches students with accredited graduate schools across the U.S. for free.