Choreographer
Impact: Cultural enrichment and physical expression through compelling choreographic works
Create original dance works by designing movement sequences, developing artistic concepts, and directing dancers in rehearsal. Work with music, lighting, and costume designers to create unified performance experiences for stage, film, television, and live events.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 70% Team / 30% Solo
- Client facing
- Frequent
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- 10 to 20% for auditions and industry events
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- Hybrid
- Typical work hours
- 40 to 60 hours/week
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $75,000
- Entry-level
- $30,000 - $55,000
- Senior
- $200,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 5% (stable)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- Very High - over 80% growth from entry to senior
- Typical student debt
- $20,000 - $60,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Dance technique
- Movement composition
- Rehearsal direction
- Music interpretation
- Design collaboration
Soft skills
- Creative vision
- Physical expression
- Leadership
- Communication
- Collaboration
Technical complexity: Low
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 3 to 6 years
- Years to senior
- 8 to 15 years
- Career switching
- Very Hard
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Dancer > Assistant Choreographer > Choreographer > Resident Choreographer > Artistic Director
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 10% low risk as choreography requires human physical creativity
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 8.5/10
- Meaning
- 9.2/10
- Work-life balance
- 6.5/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High