My Colorado Journey
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Creative Industries

Actor

Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or film productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.

Annual openings

106

Median wage

n/a

Typical education

High school (GED)

Growth 2026–2032

+10%

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED)

Credential requirement

No certification is required or expected for this job.

Work experience

No previous work experience is required, though work experience/internship/education building the skills needed to become a professional actor is expected.

Work-based learning

No information available

A lot of acting jobs in Colorado are gig work.
Particularly as they launch their career, actors need an additional job to earn money. Picking up skills in marketing, camera operation, audio/video editing, and other jobs in this pathway can be a great way to work within the industry while you wait for your break.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenNo
  • On a computerNo
  • OutdoorsNo
  • With your handsYes

Interests it draws on

  • Arts, Design, and Entertainment
  • Music and Performance

Automation exposure

High exposure

Many tasks are repeatable, so technology could reshape the day-to-day over time.

A typical day

  1. Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
  2. Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
  3. Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
  4. Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
  5. Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
  6. Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.
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