Rates, 2026
What should a casting director charge in a smaller market?
About $625 a day for a casting director who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $475 in the first years, $775 when senior. Casting a project runs about $3,675. Also called: casting associate, casting producer.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$475
a day · $60 an hour
Working, booked
$625
a day · $80 an hour
Senior, sought after
$775
a day · $95 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$625 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$80 per hour
- Casting a projectbreakdown, submissions, sessions, callbacks, deal memos$3,675 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 smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Commercial casting, one role$1,050 to $2,450 per project
- Commercial casting, full cast$2,450 to $5,600 per project
- Indie or short film casting$1,750 to $4,200 per project
- Casting session day (in room or self-tape review)$425 to $850 per day
- Street casting or real-people search$1,400 to $3,500 per project
- Callbacks or additional session$275 to $550 per session
How the number is made
Casting directors at this level in this market day at about $625 ($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 $2,550. 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 smaller US market?
- About $625 a day for someone working and booked, $475 in the first years, $775 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is casting a project?
- $3,675 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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