711/Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
542K
employees, 2023
542K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 68,638 US Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries business locations employed 542,145 people and paid $60.7 billion in annual payroll, $112,036 per employee on average. Employment was up 7.3% from 2022. California had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
68,638
+1.9% vs 2022
Employees
542,145
+7.3% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$60.7B
+6.2% vs 2022
Average pay
$112,036
-1.1% 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, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 23,957 | 94,097 | $156,698 | 0.57% |
| New York | 8,055 | 66,406 | $109,112 | 0.76% |
| Florida | 4,878 | 44,953 | $95,953 | 0.45% |
| Texas | 2,774 | 33,746 | $103,800 | 0.28% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,433 | 20,927 | $119,914 | 0.37% |
| Ohio | 1,031 | 18,313 | $121,783 | 0.36% |
| Illinois | 1,734 | 17,071 | $117,914 | 0.30% |
| Tennessee | 1,513 | 14,077 | $139,396 | 0.47% |
| North Carolina | 1,368 | 13,755 | $106,748 | 0.32% |
| Massachusetts | 933 | 12,857 | $116,516 | 0.37% |
| Minnesota | 1,036 | 12,717 | $102,837 | 0.45% |
| New Jersey | 1,227 | 12,141 | $118,195 | 0.31% |
| Washington | 1,062 | 11,542 | $97,633 | 0.38% |
| Georgia | 1,721 | 11,452 | $118,435 | 0.26% |
| Missouri | 697 | 10,816 | $113,078 | 0.41% |
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, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,976 | 66,011 | $116,583 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 19,990 | 58,404 | $193,160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,518 | 16,055 | $122,877 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,072 | 13,810 | $127,750 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,108 | 11,823 | $120,456 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 758 | 11,796 | $108,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 856 | 10,840 | $125,516 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 686 | 10,671 | $131,998 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 907 | 10,581 | $146,182 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 859 | 10,348 | $150,933 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 537 | 10,176 | $118,105 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 1,187 | 9,834 | $166,305 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,398 | 9,504 | $100,022 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 644 | 9,479 | $111,062 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 895 | 9,330 | $122,202 |
Business size
US Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 57,107 | 83.2% |
| 5 to 9 | 4,935 | 7.2% |
| 10 to 19 | 2,855 | 4.2% |
| 20 to 49 | 2,050 | 3.0% |
| 50 to 99 | 799 | 1.2% |
| 100 to 249 | 519 | 0.8% |
| 250 to 499 | 231 | 0.3% |
| 500 to 999 | 101 | 0.1% |
| 1,000 or more | 41 | 0.1% |
Related industries
Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries and the 5 industries directly below it
Part of Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 71
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7113 | Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | 184,353 | $41,794 |
| 7112 | Spectator Sports | 140,107 | $235,617 |
| 7111 | Performing Arts Companies | 127,604 | $45,637 |
| 7115 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | 64,940 | $158,290 |
| 7114 | Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | 25,141 | $155,944 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries in the US?
542,145 people worked at 68,638 US Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries business locations in 2023, up 7.3% from 2022. That is 0.39% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries?
$112,036 a year per employee in 2023, from $60.7 billion in annual payroll (down 1.1% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries jobs?
California had the most, with 94,097 employees in 2023, followed by New York (66,406) and Florida (44,953).
Which metro areas have the most Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries jobs?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (66,011), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (58,404), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16,055) had the most Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries employees in 2023.
Are most Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries businesses small?
94.5% of the 68,638 Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 142 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.