Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media: S-Corp Reasonable Salary Benchmarks
36 occupations, with medians from $37,360 to $114,850. 25 of them clear $60,000, roughly the point at which an S-corp election starts repaying its own overhead.
Creative income is genuinely lumpy, and a year with little billable work is a real reason for a lower salary. That reason has to be recorded when it happens, not reconstructed afterwards.
| Occupation | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Directors | $82,480 | $114,850 | $162,640 |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | $75,490 | $102,030 | $139,130 |
| Technical Writers | $70,880 | $90,390 | $115,510 |
| Producers and Directors | $62,670 | $90,360 | $134,800 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $66,450 | $83,910 | $109,050 |
| Fashion Designers | $51,940 | $80,960 | $106,470 |
| Editors | $57,300 | $77,920 | $106,100 |
| Writers and Authors | $58,230 | $76,910 | $101,950 |
| Film and Video Editors | $52,720 | $75,420 | $105,310 |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $52,830 | $75,240 | $104,030 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $50,920 | $74,990 | $106,660 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $56,260 | $74,750 | $100,370 |
| Music Directors and Composers | $53,110 | $73,710 | $104,090 |
| Media and Communication Workers, All Other | $49,790 | $73,620 | $103,820 |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | $49,910 | $73,130 | $100,280 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $53,760 | $72,420 | $100,780 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $42,010 | $71,240 | $115,150 |
| Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other | $49,340 | $70,720 | $106,780 |
| Lighting Technicians | $52,770 | $68,060 | $95,640 |
| Interior Designers | $51,840 | $67,190 | $85,740 |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | $36,790 | $66,710 | $109,880 |
| Designers, All Other | $51,020 | $64,950 | $95,860 |
| Graphic Designers | $49,040 | $62,960 | $81,830 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $45,370 | $62,200 | $98,450 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $46,530 | $60,170 | $80,830 |
| Broadcast Technicians (below the S-corp threshold) | $40,320 | $59,570 | $83,520 |
| Audio and Video Technicians (below the S-corp threshold) | $46,390 | $58,100 | $77,560 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (below the S-corp threshold) | $37,560 | $55,490 | $83,200 |
| Choreographers (below the S-corp threshold) | $41,600 | $55,310 | $75,710 |
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys (below the S-corp threshold) | $35,360 | $47,340 | $75,480 |
| Coaches and Scouts (below the S-corp threshold) | $35,330 | $47,320 | $64,710 |
| Craft Artists (below the S-corp threshold) | $35,020 | $46,080 | $58,240 |
| Photographers (below the S-corp threshold) | $36,050 | $44,660 | $62,740 |
| Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials (below the S-corp threshold) | $32,260 | $40,710 | $57,160 |
| Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers (below the S-corp threshold) | $35,130 | $39,390 | $47,220 |
| Floral Designers (below the S-corp threshold) | $32,810 | $37,360 | $45,700 |
What is a reasonable salary for a arts and media S-corp owner?
It depends on the specific occupation, which is why the table lists all 36 separately instead of giving one number for the group. 25 carry a median at or above $60,000, roughly where an S-corp election starts repaying its overhead. Medians here run $37,360 to $114,850.
National figures, and a percentile is evidence rather than an answer.Model your own state and profit, or see all occupation groups.