Research, produce, and direct documentary films and long-form video content. Median salary in Madison: $62K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Madison, Wisconsin. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Documentary Filmmakers in Madison earn approximately 5% lower than the US national median for this role — a $3,000 discount on annual base salary. Madison's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 102 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Madison's cost-of-living index (102), the median Documentary Filmmaker salary buys the equivalent of $60,784 in a US-average-cost city. That's $4,216 less purchasing power than the national median — the higher nominal salary doesn't fully offset local costs.
Average 1-bedroom rent in Madison ($1,500/mo) consumes approximately 45% of an after-tax median Documentary Filmmaker salary. Financial planners typically recommend keeping housing under 30% of take-home — a salary at the 75th percentile ($100K) brings that ratio into a more comfortable range here.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $62K by 2030.
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The median Documentary Filmmaker salary in Madison, WI is $62,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Madison–WI metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Documentary Filmmakers in Madison with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $40,000 and $62,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $62,000 to $100,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $100,000 to $166,000 or more.
Madison has a cost of living index of 102 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Madison are close to the national average. Wisconsin has a 5.3% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in Film or Journalism; production portfolio. 40% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.