• Dancers and Choreographers Jobs and Employment

From ancient times to the present, dancers have expressed ideas, stories, and rhythm with their bodies. They use a variety of dance forms that allow free movement and self-expression, including classical ballet, modern dance, and culturally specific dance styles. Many dancers combine performance work with teaching or choreography.

• Dancers and Choreographers Training and Education

Most dancers need long-term on-the-job training to be successful. Some earn a bachelor’s degree or attend dance school, although neither is required. Becoming a choreographer usually requires years of dancing experience.

• Dancers and Choreographers Employment and Job Outlook

Professional dancers and choreographers held about 40,000 jobs in 2006. Many others were between engagements, so that the total number of people available for work as dancers over the course of the year was greater.

• Dancers and Choreographers Annual Income and Salary

Median hourly earnings of dancers were $9.55 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $7.31 and $17.50. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $6.62, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $25.75.

• Photographers Employment

Photographers produce and preserve images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. To create commercial-quality photographs, photographers need technical expertise, creativity, and the appropriate professional equipment.

• Photographers Training

Employers usually seek applicants with a “good eye,” imagination, and creativity, as well as a good technical understanding of photography. Photojournalists or industrial or scientific photographers generally need a college degree.

• Photographers Jobs, Employment, Job Outlook

Photographers held about 122,000 jobs in 2006. More than half were self-employed, a much higher proportion than for most occupations. Some self-employed photographers have contracts with advertising agencies, magazine publishers.

• Photographers earnings, salary and median annual Income

Median annual earnings of salaried photographers were $26,170 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $18,680 and $38,730. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $15,540, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $56,640.

• Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators

Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators set up, operate, and maintain a wide variety of electrical and electronic equipment used in almost any radio or television broadcast, concert, play, musical recording, television show, or movie.

• Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators Training

Both broadcast and sound engineering technicians usually receive some kind of formal training prior to beginning work. Audio and video technicians usually learn the skills they need through a year or more of on-the-job training, but some have formal education after high school.

• Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators Employment

About 30 percent worked in broadcasting (except Internet) and 17 percent worked in the motion picture, video, and sound recording industries. About 13 percent were self-employed. Television stations employ, on average, many more technicians than radio stations.

• Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators Salary

Median annual earnings of audio and video equipment technicians in May 2006 were $34,840. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,090 and $46,320. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,980, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,550.

• Announcers Earnings Salary

Salaries in broadcasting vary widely, but generally are relatively low, except for announcers who work for large stations in major markets or for networks. Earnings are higher in television than in radio and higher in commercial broadcasting than in public broadcasting.

• Announcers Employment

Announcers held about 71,000 jobs in 2006. About 42 percent of all announcers worked part time.

• Announcers Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Entry into this occupation is highly competitive, and postsecondary education or long-term on-the-job training is common. Trainees usually must have several years of experience in the industry before receiving an opportunity to work on the air. An applicant’s delivery and—in television—appearance and style is important.

• Announcers Career

Radio and television announcers perform a variety of tasks on and off the air. They announce station program information, such as program schedules and station breaks for commercials, or public service information, and they introduce and close programs.