7111/Performing Arts Companies
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
128K
employees, 2023
128K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 10,511 US Performing Arts Companies business locations employed 127,604 people and paid $5.8 billion in annual payroll, $45,637 per employee on average. Employment was up 8.8% from 2022. New York had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
10,511
+2.4% vs 2022
Employees
127,604
+8.8% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$5.8B
+9.2% vs 2022
Average pay
$45,637
+0.4% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Performing Arts Companies in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,553 | 21,647 | $60,642 | 0.25% |
| California | 1,826 | 17,372 | $49,086 | 0.11% |
| Florida | 794 | 7,597 | $41,234 | 0.08% |
| Texas | 491 | 6,217 | $41,332 | 0.05% |
| Illinois | 437 | 5,730 | $40,736 | 0.10% |
| Tennessee | 571 | 5,207 | $111,008 | 0.18% |
| Pennsylvania | 326 | 4,409 | $35,634 | 0.08% |
| Nevada | 168 | 4,211 | $54,765 | 0.31% |
| Washington | 204 | 3,693 | $32,708 | 0.12% |
| Ohio | 159 | 3,311 | $39,029 | 0.07% |
| Missouri | 178 | 3,174 | $36,503 | 0.12% |
| Minnesota | 254 | 3,158 | $33,560 | 0.11% |
| Massachusetts | 220 | 3,022 | $48,487 | 0.09% |
| New Jersey | 235 | 2,549 | $32,980 | 0.06% |
| Arizona | 139 | 2,490 | $25,034 | 0.09% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 51.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Performing Arts Companies employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,513 | 20,853 | $62,289 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,128 | 8,411 | $56,753 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 390 | 5,537 | $40,491 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 145 | 4,072 | $54,273 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 246 | 3,583 | $57,633 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 496 | 3,332 | $157,260 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 125 | 2,987 | $36,023 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 39 | 2,887 | $56,468 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 181 | 2,829 | $34,319 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 168 | 2,492 | $53,071 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 169 | 2,261 | $34,311 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 147 | 2,186 | $42,246 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 93 | 2,108 | $43,909 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 88 | 1,989 | $39,853 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 207 | 1,891 | $53,001 |
Business size
US Performing Arts Companies business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 7,102 | 67.6% |
| 5 to 9 | 1,305 | 12.4% |
| 10 to 19 | 889 | 8.5% |
| 20 to 49 | 633 | 6.0% |
| 50 to 99 | 329 | 3.1% |
| 100 to 249 | 196 | 1.9% |
| 250 to 499 | 45 | 0.4% |
| 500 to 999 | 9 | 0.1% |
| 1,000 or more | 3 | 0.0% |
Related industries
Performing Arts Companies and the 4 industries directly below it
Part of Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 71Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries 711
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71111 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | 68,930 | $39,113 |
| 71113 | Musical Groups and Artists | 40,175 | $58,750 |
| 71112 | Dance Companies | 11,341 | $34,565 |
| 71119 | Other Performing Arts Companies | 7,158 | $52,400 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Performing Arts Companies in the US?
127,604 people worked at 10,511 US Performing Arts Companies business locations in 2023, up 8.8% from 2022. That is 0.09% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Performing Arts Companies?
$45,637 a year per employee in 2023, from $5.8 billion in annual payroll (up 0.4% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Performing Arts Companies jobs?
New York had the most, with 21,647 employees in 2023, followed by California (17,372) and Florida (7,597).
Which metro areas have the most Performing Arts Companies jobs?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (20,853), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (8,411), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (5,537) had the most Performing Arts Companies employees in 2023.
Are most Performing Arts Companies businesses small?
88.4% of the 10,511 Performing Arts Companies business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 12 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.