The people who make real-world action happen safely on camera: stunt performers, fight choreographers, explosions, fake rain, robotic creatures, and breakaway glass.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Stunt Coordinator: Designs every action sequence and keeps the stunt team safe. Typical pay $140k.
Special Effects Coordinator: Leads the team that creates real, physical effects on set: explosions, rain, fire, snow, and breakaway sets. Typical pay $130k.
Second Unit Director (Action Unit): Directs a separate crew that films big action sequences, stunts, chases, and establishing shots. Typical pay $160k.
Aerial Coordinator: Plans and flies the helicopter and airplane shots in movies, including aerial stunts. Typical pay $130k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Stunt Performer: Performs dangerous action on camera: falls, fights, car hits, and fire burns. Typical pay $60k.
Stunt Double: Stands in for a specific star in dangerous scenes, matching their size, look, and movement. Typical pay $75k.
Fight Choreographer: Designs on-screen and on-stage fights that look brutal but keep everyone safe. Typical pay $60k.
Stunt Rigger: Builds the wires, ratchets, and harnesses that fling stunt performers through the air safely. Typical pay $90k.
Precision Stunt Driver: Drives cars for chase scenes, crashes, drifts, and near misses on camera. Typical pay $75k.
Special Effects Technician: Builds and runs physical effects: smoke machines, bullet hits, rigged props, and wind. Typical pay $68k.
Pyrotechnician: Designs and fires fireworks and explosive effects for films, concerts, and shows. Typical pay $62k.
Underwater Safety Diver (Film): Keeps actors and stunt performers safe during underwater and water scenes. Typical pay $75k.
Motion Control Rig Operator: Programs robotic camera arms that repeat the exact same move over and over for VFX and commercials. Typical pay $90k.
Starter: fastest way in
Breakaway Prop Maker: Makes fake glass, chairs, bottles, and walls that shatter safely during stunts. Typical pay $50k.
Trick Rider / Horse Stunt Performer: Performs horseback stunts like falls, jumps, and standing rides for film, rodeos, and shows. Typical pay $40k.
Special Effects Shop Assistant: Helps build and maintain effects equipment in an SFX shop, learning the trade. Typical pay $45k.
Live Stunt Show Performer: Performs falls, fights, and fire gags several times a day in theme park and arena stunt shows. Typical pay $48k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.