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Television Producer · 2026 salary + AI outlook

Television Producer salary — and how to earn like the top 1%

$80,000median / year · about $38 an hour (BLS)

AI transcribes footage, builds rough assemblies, and drafts promos overnight, compressing budgets and schedules. Producers who own formats and IP, not just the call sheet, capture the value AI frees.

Entry level
$42,000
Top earners
$145,000
Job growth
+8%
AI exposure
Medium
🏆 The Top 1% Playbook

How to reach the top 1% of Television Producers

Four moves, straight from how the highest-paid in this field use AI in 2026:

1
Own format and IP A producer with a back-end stake in a format, franchise, or unscripted concept earns like an owner; development and rights, not line-producing day rates, are where the real money accumulates.
2
Compress the post Use Descript, auto-transcription, and AI rough-cut tools to turn a week of assembly into a day; producers who deliver more finished content per dollar win the next commission.
3
Master unscripted economics Reality and documentary formats scale cheaply and travel across territories; learning to build sellable, low-cost formats that networks and streamers license is the most durable producer skill going forward.
4
Control distribution Build a direct audience on YouTube or a streaming channel and bring measurable reach to the table; producers who arrive with distribution, not just a pitch deck, set the terms.
💡 The move that pays: AI can cut the promo overnight, but it can't own the format — so ownership is the producer's real edge.
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Television Producer Salary in 2026

Television Producer pay, in real terms

Per hour
$38.46
Per week
$1,538
Every 2 weeks
$3,077
Per month
$6,667

At the national median of $80,000/year, a television producer earns $6,667/month before taxes. Over a 30-year career that's roughly $2,400,000 in gross earnings — and that's before raises, promotions, or bonuses.

That puts this role about 66% above the U.S. median wage for all workers (about $48,060/year, per BLS). Using the common rule of keeping housing under 30% of gross pay, this salary supports about $2,000/month in rent or mortgage.

Figures are gross (pre-tax) estimates from the national median; use the take-home and hourly calculators on PayCrunch for your exact state and situation.

Updated June 2026 · BLS Data
How much does a Television Producer make?
$80,000per year
National median salary · $38.46/hour · $6,667/month
Hourly
$38.46
Monthly
$6,667
Weekly
$1,538
Daily
$308
Estimated take-home
$60,800/yr
Adjust Your Market Position
$80,000/yr
Entry Level · $42,000 Top Earner · $145,000
IRS.gov data
BLS.gov verified
All 50 states
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What Does a Television Producer Do?

Television producers oversee all aspects of TV show production, from concept development through post-production and distribution.

Television Producer Salary by State

Select your state to see the adjusted television producer salary based on cost-of-living differences.

Select a state above

How to Become a Television Producer

Education: Bachelor's degree in Media or Communications

Certifications: None required

Career path: Production Assistant → Associate Producer → Producer → Senior Producer → Executive Producer

Television Producer Salary by Experience

Entry level
$42,000
Mid-career
$80,000
Senior
$131,950

Estimates based on BLS percentile data and industry surveys. Actual salaries vary by employer, location, and individual qualifications.

Top 10 Highest-Paying States for Television Producers

#StateAnnualMonthlyHourly
1Hawaii$94,400$7,867$45.38
2California$92,000$7,667$44.23
3New York$92,000$7,667$44.23
4Massachusetts$89,600$7,467$43.08
5New Jersey$89,600$7,467$43.08
6Connecticut$88,000$7,333$42.31
7Washington$88,000$7,333$42.31
8Maryland$86,400$7,200$41.54
9Alaska$84,000$7,000$40.38
10Colorado$84,000$7,000$40.38

State salaries estimated using BLS national median adjusted by regional cost-of-living factors.

Compare to Related Jobs

Job TitleMedian SalaryHourlyDifference
Television Producer$80,000$38.46
3D Animator$78,000$37.50$-2,000
Cinematographer$82,000$39.42+$2,000
Digital Marketing Manager$82,000$39.42+$2,000
Producer$82,000$39.42+$2,000
Fashion Designer$77,000$37.02$-3,000
Film Director$85,000$40.87+$5,000

Job Outlook

The BLS projects +8% growth for television producers through 2032, which is faster than average compared to the average for all occupations (3%).

🆕 New & Trending AI Tools for Television ProducerReviewed July 2026

We track new AI-tool launches every week and refresh this list — here’s what’s gaining traction for Television Producer work right now.

RunwayNEWFree tier / $12 mo

AI video generator and editor for short cinematic clips.

How a Television Producer uses it: generate and edit video b-roll and effects without a full production

GammaNEWFree / $9 mo

Generates polished slide decks and one-pagers from a prompt.

How a Television Producer uses it: turn an outline into a designed presentation instantly

NotebookLMNEWFree / $7.99 mo

Google tool that answers questions grounded only in the documents you give it — with citations.

How a Television Producer uses it: load your own manuals, policies, or PDFs and ask questions that stay accurate to the source

Canva AIFree / $13 mo

Design platform with AI text-to-image, writing, and one-click layouts.

How a Television Producer uses it: produce on-brand graphics, social posts, and decks without a designer

Adobe FireflyFree credits / paid

Adobe's commercially-safe AI image and video generation, built into Creative Cloud.

How a Television Producer uses it: generate and edit images and video safe for commercial use

Midjourney$10+ mo

High-end AI image generator known for striking visuals.

How a Television Producer uses it: create original concept art, mockups, and hero images from a prompt

DescriptFree / $16 mo

Edit video and podcasts by editing the transcript like a doc.

How a Television Producer uses it: cut and polish video/audio by editing text, and remove filler words automatically

ElevenLabsFree / $5+ mo

AI voice generation with hundreds of natural voices.

How a Television Producer uses it: produce voiceovers and narration in minutes

ChatGPTFree / $20 mo

The most-used AI assistant — writing, analysis, research, and images from a plain-language chat.

How a Television Producer uses it: draft emails and documents, summarize long files, and get instant answers to on-the-job questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a television producer make?
The national median salary for a television producer is $80,000 per year, or $38.46 per hour. Entry-level positions start around $42,000 while top earners make $145,000 or more.
What education do you need to become a television producer?
Most television producer positions require bachelor's degree in media or communications. Additional certifications or experience may increase earning potential.
What is the job outlook for television producers?
Employment of television producers is projected to grow 8% over the next decade, which is faster than average compared to the average for all occupations.
What are the highest paying states for television producers?
The highest paying states include Hawaii, California, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, where cost of living adjustments push salaries above the national median.
Can you make six figures as a television producer?
Yes, experienced professionals in this field regularly earn six figures, especially in high-cost-of-living areas.
Methodology and data sources

Salary data is based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) program. National median, 10th percentile, and 90th percentile figures are sourced from the most recent BLS OES release. State-level salary estimates are calculated by applying regional price parity adjustments from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to the national median. Job growth projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program. Education and certification requirements are based on BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook descriptions. All figures are approximate and updated periodically.

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