The film and TV industry supports 1.9 million jobs in the U.S. and generates $121 billion in wages– including $50 billion in wages for jobs directly related to the industry — according to the MPAA’s latest data.
Those figures include nearly 305,000 jobs in the core business of producing, marketing, manufacturing and distributing motion pictures and television shows. “These are high-quality jobs,” the MPAA said, “with a heavily unionized workforce and an average salary of $92,000 – 79% higher than the average salary nationwide.”
California leads the nation with 191,399 workers directly employed in the industry – of which 136,906 are production-related jobs. All together, they generated nearly $19.89 billion in wages.
New York is second with 89,920 direct jobs – including 53,630 production jobs – generating $10.42 billion in wages. Texas is third with 39,315 direct jobs, 9,914 production jobs and $1.77 billion in wages, followed by Florida with 28,990 direct jobs, 10,191 production jobs and $1.77 billion in wages.
Georgia is fifth with $25,708 direct jobs, 9,187 production jobs and, like Texas and Florida, $1.77 billion in wages – which indicates that the wages reported are estimates rather than exact numbers.
Coming in last was Wyoming, with only 253 direct jobs, 57 production jobs and $8.2 million in wages, followed by Delaware with 481 direct jobs, 167 production jobs and $14 million in wages. Vermont finished third from the bottom with 847 direct jobs, 185 production jobs and $29 million in wages.
In addition to the local impact in the states, the film and TV industry contributes “significantly to the overall economy,” the MPAA said. “We contribute more than $41 billion to over 345,000 businesses in a given year, along with more than $19.3 billion annually to federal and state tax coffers.”
In 2014, the industry contributed $131 billion in sales (up 2% from 2013), generating $19.3 billion in public revenues from sales taxes on goods, state income taxes, and federal taxes, including income tax, unemployment, Medicare and Social Security.
Outside of the studios and networks, the industry is composed mostly of small businesses, the MPAA said. “Out of nearly 89,000 businesses located in every state in the country, 84% employ fewer than 10 people. Film and television also supports other businesses in other industries, making over $41 billion in payments to more than 345,000 local businesses in 2014.”
In its analysis of several key states, the MPAA found that there are more than 2,700 motion picture and television industry businesses in Georgia, including 1,822 production-related companies. The production of Selma spent $470,000 on in-state wardrobe purchases, dry cleaning and laundry. The film also purchased $180,000 worth of lumber, hardware and other supplies. Popular TV shows like The Walking Dead bring tourism to the area when fans flock to see filming sites.
In Hawaii, the film and television industry directly employs more than 2,200 people and pays $100 million-plus in wages. It’s been a location for productions including Jurassic World, Hawaii Five-O and Snowden.
In Illinois, the film and television industry directly employs more than 19,000 people and pays over $1 billion in wages. Recent movies shot in the state include Barbershop: The Next Cut and Southside with You, along with TV series Empire, Chicago Fire and The Girlfriend Experience.
New York was home to the production of more than 100 TV series and over 150 movies in 2015, supporting over 7,400 film and TV industry businesses.
In Massachusetts, the industry directly employs more than 9,900 people and pays over $574 million in wages. Nearly 1,800 industry businesses call Massachusetts home. During the recent production of Black Mass, over $820,000 was spent on car rentals, nearly $560,000 on wardrobe purchases, and over $452,000 on catering, bakery goods, and other food items.
In New Mexico, the industry directly employs more than 2,500 people and pays more than $150 million in wages, according to the 2014 employment data. In 2015, New Mexico hosted more than a dozen movie productions. One large-scale production, Independence Day: Resurgence, spent more than $44 million in New Mexico communities, employing over 5,750 local workers and paying more than $19 million in wages. The production also spent over $3.7 million on hardware and lumber supplies, $1.8 million on transportation, $1.26 million on local wardrobe expenses and $1.27 million on catering, bakery goods and other food items.
In Ohio, the industry directly employs more than 11,000 people and pays $442 million in wages. Across the state, more than 1,200 companies contribute to production for films like Marvel’s large-scale production of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which paid $31 million to 750 vendors in Ohio.
In Pennsylvania, the industry directly employs over 14,000 people and pays more than $760 million in wages. Recent productions include the movies Concussion, Creed, and Equity, and TV series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Amish Mafia.
Film and TV shows also generate a positive balance of trade for the U.S. In 2014, the MPAA said, “The film and television industry registered a positive balance of trade in nearly every country in the world with $16.3 billion in exports worldwide.”
MPAA
