Average Colorist Salary in United States for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Colorist salary for 2024 in United States and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Colorist Make in United States?

A Colorist working in United States will typically earn around 46,200 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 23,300 USD to the highest average salary of 68,100 USD.

Average Annual Salary
46,200 USD
Average Monthly Salary
3,850 USD

Lowest Annual Salary
23,300 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,941 USD

Highest Annual Salary
68,100 USD
Highest Monthly Salary
5,675 USD

These are average salaries for a Colorist in United States and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Colorist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Colorist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Colorist Salaries in United States

So we've looked at the average salaries a Colorist will earn in United States. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Colorist can earn between 23,300 USD and 68,100 USD on average in United States. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Colorist in United States is 43,500 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 43,500 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 43,500 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Colorist salary in United States, 25% of the population are earning less than 30,800 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 30,800 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 53,600 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 53,600 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Colorist Salary by Experience Level in United States

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average colorist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Colorist in United States that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 25,800 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Colorist salary would increase to 34,000 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Colorist, the average salary would be 49,400 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 54,200 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Colorist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 61,600 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Colorist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 63,500 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
25,800 USD
2-5 Years +23%
34,000 USD
5-10 Years +42%
49,400 USD
10-15 Years +17%
54,200 USD
15-20 Years +10%
61,600 USD
20+ Years +6%
63,500 USD

Colorist Salary by Education Level in United States

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Colorist in United States based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Colorist in United States with a high school education can earn an average salary of 34,000 USD.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Colorist in United States with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 45,300 USD.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Colorist in United States with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 66,400 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
34,000 USD
Certificate or Diploma +40%
45,300 USD
Bachelor's Degree +42%
66,400 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Colorist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United States, a male colorist will earn an average of 46,100 USD, while a female colorist will earn around 45,200 USD.

This means that a male colorist earns approximately 2% more than a female colorist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United States

Male
46,100 USD
Female -2%
45,200 USD

Colorist Average Pay Raise in United States

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Colorist in United States is around 11% every 15 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 15 ) × 12  = 9%

What this means is that a Colorist in United States can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United States for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Colorist Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Colorist is a low bonus based job, with 27% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

73% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3%.

Received Bonus
27%
No Bonus
73%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
98,800 USD
Private Sector -6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Colorist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Colorist in United States.

Job Title Category Salary
3D Artist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 87,500 USD
3D Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 83,000 USD
3D Generalist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 68,300 USD
3D Visualization Specialist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 87,900 USD
Acrobatic Rigger Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 57,900 USD
Actor Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 116,400 USD
Art Administrator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 94,000 USD
Art Director Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 115,600 USD
Art Lead Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 114,900 USD
Associate Media Director Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 103,600 USD
Associate Producer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 121,800 USD
Broadcast and Sound Engineer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 72,400 USD
Broadcast Associate Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 63,900 USD
Broadcast News Analyst Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 92,300 USD
Broadcast Technician Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 51,800 USD
Broadcasting Journalist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 107,700 USD
Broadcasting Presenter Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 107,700 USD
Camera Equipment Repairer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 62,500 USD
Camera Operator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 55,400 USD
Cartoonist / Animator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 79,600 USD
CAS Engineer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 92,100 USD
Censorship Executive Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 99,700 USD
Choreographer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 73,300 USD
Communications Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 130,400 USD
Correspondent Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 99,700 USD
Dance Director Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 92,300 USD
Dancer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 76,000 USD
Director of Photography Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 95,500 USD
Disc Jockey Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 58,200 USD
Editorial Assistant Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 46,200 USD
Events Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 91,600 USD
Graphic Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 63,500 USD
Illustrator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 70,800 USD
Industrial Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 57,100 USD
Instructional Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 54,200 USD
Journalist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 108,200 USD
Makeup Artist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 58,100 USD
Media Design Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 151,800 USD
Media Equipment Operator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 49,200 USD
Media Operations Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 124,500 USD
Media Planner Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 77,100 USD
Media Producer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 108,200 USD
Media Product Development Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 152,700 USD
Media Production Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 152,700 USD
Media Program Director Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 160,600 USD
Media Relation Executive Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 160,600 USD
Media Relations Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 156,200 USD
Media Sales Manager Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 168,700 USD
Movement and Dance Coordinator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 90,900 USD
Multimedia Coordinator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 63,700 USD
Multimedia Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 56,600 USD
Music Consultant Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 75,900 USD
Musician Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 65,100 USD
News Associate Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 78,900 USD
News Reporter Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 107,300 USD
Post Production Assistant Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 51,500 USD
Producer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 142,100 USD
Product Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 59,900 USD
Product Planner Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 74,600 USD
Production Artist Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 75,900 USD
Production Assistant Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 55,600 USD
Production Director Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 127,600 USD
Production Technician Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 52,800 USD
Program Researcher Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 92,200 USD
Promotion Coordinator Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 73,700 USD
Sound Engineer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 75,000 USD
Sound Engineering Technician Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 46,400 USD
Stage Technician Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 45,600 USD
Sub Editor Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 54,600 USD
Television Executive Producer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 172,300 USD
Transmission Engineer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 86,100 USD
Video Editor Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 64,400 USD
Video Producer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 83,300 USD
Videographer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 79,000 USD
Visual Designer Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment 78,700 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Atlanta 42,300 USD
Austin 50,300 USD
Baltimore 43,800 USD
Boston 47,500 USD
Bristol 36,800 USD
Chicago 52,300 USD
Cincinnati 39,100 USD
Cleveland 41,700 USD
Dallas 51,300 USD
Denver 45,600 USD
Detroit 44,500 USD
Honolulu 40,900 USD
Houston 51,800 USD
Indianapolis 49,400 USD
Iowa City 35,400 USD
Jacksonville 49,300 USD
Kansas City 45,100 USD
Kent 38,100 USD
Las Vegas 45,600 USD
Long Beach 43,500 USD
Los Angeles 52,800 USD
Memphis 43,800 USD
Miami 40,600 USD
Minneapolis 40,200 USD
New Orleans 42,000 USD
New York 55,600 USD
Oakland 41,000 USD
Oklahoma City 46,200 USD
Orlando 37,800 USD
Philadelphia 51,300 USD
Phoenix 50,600 USD
Sacramento 45,200 USD
San Antonio 52,000 USD
San Diego 51,100 USD
San Francisco 48,000 USD
San Jose 49,800 USD
Seattle 47,100 USD
Tampa 40,300 USD
Vancouver 36,200 USD
Washington D.C. 46,200 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

City Average Salary
Alabama 47,500 USD
Alaska 42,000 USD
Arizona 49,400 USD
Arkansas 45,600 USD
California 51,100 USD
Colorado 44,500 USD
Connecticut 45,600 USD
Delaware 41,000 USD
District of Columbia 42,000 USD
Florida 51,300 USD
Georgia 50,300 USD
Hawaii 43,500 USD
Idaho 43,500 USD
Illinois 49,800 USD
Indiana 47,100 USD
Iowa 43,800 USD
Kansas 43,800 USD
Kentucky 43,800 USD
Louisiana 43,800 USD
Maine 40,600 USD
Maryland 45,600 USD
Massachusetts 45,600 USD
Michigan 49,300 USD
Minnesota 47,500 USD
Mississippi 45,200 USD
Missouri 46,200 USD
Montana 41,000 USD
Nebraska 42,300 USD
Nevada 45,200 USD
New Hampshire 40,600 USD
New Jersey 48,000 USD
New Mexico 45,100 USD
New York 51,300 USD
North Carolina 49,300 USD
North Dakota 41,700 USD
Ohio 50,300 USD
Oklahoma 46,200 USD
Oregon 46,200 USD
Pennsylvania 49,800 USD
Rhode Island 40,200 USD
South Carolina 44,500 USD
South Dakota 40,200 USD
Tennessee 47,100 USD
Texas 51,100 USD
Utah 45,100 USD
Vermont 41,700 USD
Virginia 48,000 USD
Washington 49,400 USD
West Virginia 42,300 USD
Wisconsin 46,200 USD
Wyoming 40,300 USD

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