Broadway Actor Salary Calculator
Calculate Your Earnings
How It Works
Based on 2025 Actors' Equity Association guidelines:
Estimated Earnings
Want to know how much an actor actually takes home on Broadway? It’s not what you see in the movies. There’s no single paycheck that fits everyone. Some actors earn over $2,000 a week. Others barely scrape by on minimum wage. And it all depends on the show, the role, and whether you’re in the union.
What’s the Broadway minimum wage in 2025?
The baseline for any actor in a Broadway show is set by Actors’ Equity Association (the labor union representing stage actors and stage managers in the United States). As of January 2025, the weekly minimum salary for a principal actor in a Broadway production is $2,435. That’s for a full week of eight shows - usually six performances, plus two rehearsals or previews.
This rate hasn’t changed much since 2023, but inflation and rising production costs have made it harder to live on. For comparison, in 2015, the minimum was $1,745. That’s a 40% increase in ten years - but rent in New York City has gone up over 60% in the same time.
Understudies and swings get the same base pay, but they earn extra money when they go on for someone else. A standby who performs one show gets an additional $100. If they perform five shows in a week, that’s an extra $500 - a big help when you’re paying $3,000 a month for a tiny apartment in Hell’s Kitchen.
How much do ensemble members make?
Ensemble members - the singers and dancers who fill out the stage - earn less than principals. Their minimum weekly pay in 2025 is $2,087. That’s still above the federal minimum wage, but it doesn’t include health insurance or retirement contributions unless you’ve worked enough weeks to qualify.
Here’s the catch: ensemble members often play multiple roles. One person might be a soldier in Act One, a waiter in Act Two, and a chorus singer in the finale. They’re expected to learn dozens of tracks - sometimes over 100 in a musical like Hamilton or Wicked. But they don’t get paid extra for that. The union sets the rate per role, not per track.
Some ensemble members work two shows at once. One day they’re in Hadestown, the next they’re in Chicago. That’s called a “double.” It’s exhausting, but it’s how many actors stay afloat. Two shows a week can mean $4,000 in pay - but only if you’re lucky enough to get the gigs.
What about lead actors and stars?
Top-billed actors - the names on the marquee - make a lot more. Their salaries aren’t set by the union. They’re negotiated individually. For a well-known TV or movie star making their Broadway debut, the pay can jump to $10,000 to $20,000 per week. Some, like Hugh Jackman in The Music Man or Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple, earned over $100,000 a week during peak runs.
These deals often include a percentage of the box office. If the show sells out every night, the star gets a cut. That’s how some actors make $500,000 in a single run. But it’s rare. Only about 1 in 50 Broadway leads earn that kind of money. Most leads - even big names - earn between $5,000 and $8,000 a week.
And here’s something most people don’t realize: stars don’t get paid during previews. They only start earning their full salary once the show officially opens. That means a two-week preview period could mean two weeks of no pay - even if you’re rehearsing six days a week.
What about non-union Broadway shows?
There are no non-union Broadway shows. By law, all shows on Broadway must hire union members. That’s because Broadway theaters are all over 500 seats, and the union’s jurisdiction covers any venue that size in New York City.
But there’s a gray area: Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. Those shows pay far less. Off-Broadway actors earn a minimum of $1,127 per week. Off-Off-Broadway? Sometimes as low as $100 per show - or even nothing at all. Some actors take those gigs just to stay in the game, hoping for a Broadway break.
Many actors spend years bouncing between Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theater, and touring companies. A show might pay $2,435 in New York, but $1,800 on tour. And tour schedules mean no weekends off - sometimes 8 shows a week across 50 cities in 12 weeks.
What about benefits and job security?
Union membership means health insurance. But you need to work at least 18 weeks in a year to qualify. That’s not easy. Most actors work on one show at a time, and Broadway runs last 6 to 18 months. If your show closes early, you lose your coverage.
Retirement plans are also tied to union work. You earn credits toward a pension based on how many weeks you’ve worked. But you need 10 years of union work to qualify for any payout - and even then, it’s a few hundred dollars a month.
Job security? Almost none. A show can close overnight if ticket sales drop. No notice. No severance. You’re expected to find the next gig before the lights go out. That’s why most Broadway actors have side jobs - teaching, bartending, freelance editing, even Uber driving.
Is it worth it?
For most actors, the answer isn’t about money. It’s about the thrill. Standing on a Broadway stage, under those lights, hearing the audience react - that’s what keeps people going. But you can’t romanticize the struggle.
According to a 2024 survey by Actors’ Equity, the average actor on Broadway works just 14 weeks a year. That’s less than four months. The rest of the year? Job hunting, auditions, temp work, or waiting tables. The median annual income for a Broadway actor is around $27,000 - below the poverty line for a single person in New York City.
Some make it. A few become household names. But the majority? They keep going because they love it. Not because the paycheck makes sense.
How to get a Broadway job - and survive financially
If you’re serious about Broadway, here’s what actually works:
- Join Actors’ Equity as soon as you can. Membership opens doors - and benefits.
- Build a portfolio of Off-Broadway and regional theater credits. Casting directors look for experience, not just talent.
- Learn multiple skills. Singing, dancing, accents, stage combat - the more you can do, the more roles you can audition for.
- Save aggressively during runs. Put away 30% of every paycheck. You’ll need it when the show closes.
- Have a side hustle that doesn’t drain your energy. Remote work, tutoring, or voiceover gigs work better than waitressing.
- Network, but don’t beg. Relationships matter more than resumes. A director who remembers you might call you back.
There’s no shortcut. No magic trick. Just persistence, skill, and a lot of coffee.
Do Broadway actors get paid during rehearsals?
Yes. Rehearsals are paid. Principal actors get their full weekly salary from day one of rehearsal. Ensemble members get paid the same rate, even if they’re only called in for a few hours a day. Rehearsal pay is included in the union contract - no unpaid training here.
How much do understudies make on Broadway?
Understudies earn the same base salary as the principal actor they cover - $2,435 per week. On top of that, they get a $100 bonus for each performance they go on. If they perform five times in a week, that’s an extra $500. That’s why many understudies are among the highest-paid actors in a cast - even if they never get the spotlight.
Do Broadway actors get royalties?
No, not unless they’re part of a special deal. Unlike film or TV actors, Broadway performers don’t get residuals. The only way to earn ongoing money is through a percentage of box office sales - which only top stars negotiate. Most actors earn only what’s in their weekly contract.
Can international actors work on Broadway?
Yes, but they need a special visa - the O-1B for artists of extraordinary ability. The show’s producers must sponsor them. The process takes months and costs thousands. Once approved, they’re paid the same union rates as American actors. They’re also required to join Actors’ Equity.
What’s the highest-paid Broadway role ever?
The highest confirmed weekly salary was for Hugh Jackman in The Music Man in 2022, reportedly earning $150,000 per week. That included a base salary plus a percentage of the box office. He also received a bonus if the show hit $1 million in weekly sales. No official numbers exist for every star, but salaries over $100,000 a week are extremely rare.
Do Broadway actors get vacation time?
No. There’s no paid vacation. But shows usually have one day off per week - typically Monday. Some have two. That’s the closest thing to time off. If you want to travel or rest, you have to do it between shows - and without pay. Many actors take 2-3 weeks off after a show closes, then start auditioning again.
Final thoughts
Broadway isn’t a job. It’s a lifestyle. The money doesn’t add up unless you’re a star. But for those who stay, the reward isn’t in the paycheck - it’s in the roar of the crowd, the magic of live performance, and the brotherhood of the stage. It’s hard. It’s unpredictable. And for many, it’s worth every late night, every unpaid audition, every dollar they borrow to keep going.