Rates, 2026
What should a casting director charge in a major city?
About $775 a day for a casting director who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $575 in the first years, $950 when senior. Casting a project runs about $4,475. Also called: casting associate, casting producer.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$575
a day · $70 an hour
Working, booked
$775
a day · $95 an hour
Senior, sought after
$950
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$775 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$95 per hour
- Casting a projectbreakdown, submissions, sessions, callbacks, deal memos$4,475 per project
Sold a project fee, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Commercial casting, one role$1,275 to $2,975 per project
- Commercial casting, full cast$2,975 to $6,800 per project
- Indie or short film casting$2,125 to $5,100 per project
- Casting session day (in room or self-tape review)$500 to $1,025 per day
- Street casting or real-people search$1,700 to $4,250 per project
- Callbacks or additional session$350 to $675 per session
How the number is made
Casting directors at this level in this market day at about $775 ($600 to $1,200 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
Casting a project runs $2,500 to $8,000 and takes about 32 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $3,050. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a casting director in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $775 a day for someone working and booked, $575 in the first years, $950 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is casting a project?
- $4,475 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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