Motion Picture Projectionists
Hospitality and TourismO*NET 39-3021.00United States
Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.
- Median annual earnings
- $39,250
- Projected change
- −1.6%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 2.05K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
81% of the workforce
Growing to 2.01K by 2035
Explore this career by location
Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.
Showing United States
Loading available locations…
Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
Loading related ASU learning
The work
What motion picture projectionists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
- Start projectors and open shutters to project images onto screens.
- Open and close facilities according to rules and schedules.
- Operate equipment to show films in a number of theaters simultaneously.
- Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as rotating or replacing xenon bulbs, cleaning projectors and lenses, lubricating machinery, and keeping electrical contacts clean and tight.
- Set up and adjust picture projectors and screens to achieve proper size, illumination, and focus of images, and proper volume and tone of sound.
- Inspect projection equipment prior to operation to ensure proper working order.
- Perform minor repairs, such as replacing worn sprockets, or notify maintenance personnel of the need for major repairs.
- Set up and inspect curtain and screen controls.
- Coordinate equipment operation with presentation of supplemental material, such as music, oral commentaries, or sound effects.
- Clean the projection booth.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $22,104
- 25th percentile
- $29,202
- 50th percentile
- $39,250
- 75th percentile
- $78,328
- 90th percentile
- $102,897
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $39,250 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
−1.6%projected to decline
20252,047 jobs
2035 projected2,014 jobs
33 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 81%
- Bachelor's degree
- 10.1%
- Some college
- 8.9%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Projectionists18 postings
- 02Studio Project Managers3 postings
- 03Counter Attendants1 postings
- 04Film Production Assistants1 postings
- 05Key Holders1 postings
- 06Project Technicians1 postings
- 07Sound Technicians1 postings
- 08Stylists/Key Holders1 postings
Top employers
- 01Portland Art Museum2 postings
- 02The Loft Cinema2 postings
- 03University of California2 postings
- 04University of California-Los Angeles2 postings
- 05Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences1 postings
- 06Art Center College of Design1 postings
- 07B&W Productions Group AV1 postings
- 08Creative Artists Agency1 postings
- 09Essex Cinemas1 postings
- 10Jacob Burns Film Center1 postings
- 11Lucas Museum Of Narrative Art1 postings
- 12Messiah College1 postings
- 13National Infantry Museum Foundation1 postings
- 14Ohio University1 postings
- 15Siff1 postings
- 16Sun Valley1 postings
- 17The New York Public Library1 postings
Keep looking