
SAG-AFTRA Theatrical Rates 2025
Complete SAG‑AFTRA theatrical, low‑budget & ultra‑low‑budget rates for July 2025–June 2026. Day, weekly, stunt & background scales & penalties & FAQs.
Date Published
updated July 23, 2025
Whether you’re crewing up a commercial production in Georgia or prepping a studio feature film in Los Angeles, knowing each state’s 2025 minimum wage and overtime trigger is necessary for a production budget. The chart below breaks down every statewide rate—plus key city premiums—into a single, skimmable table so producers, line producers, and UPMs can stop hunting through government PDFs and start plugging real numbers into their Topsheet payroll. Bookmark it, share it with Accounting, and keep your non‑union (or mixed‑union) shoots on the right side of wage‑and‑hour law this year.
Topsheet Payroll will automatically track these rates and verify your team was paid to State, Federal, and even union rules based on your project.
State | City / Jurisdiction | Minimum Wage | Overtime Trigger |
Alabama | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Alaska | $13.00 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week | |
Arizona | $14.70 | 40 hrs/week | |
Arkansas | $11.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
California | $16.50 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week | |
CA | Los Angeles | $17.87 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week |
CA | San Francisco | $19.18 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week |
CA | San Diego | $17.25 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week |
Colorado | $14.81 | 12 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week | |
CO | Denver | $18.81 | 12 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week |
Connecticut | $16.35 | 40 hrs/week | |
Delaware | $15.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
Florida | $13.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
Georgia | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Hawaii | $14.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
Idaho | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Illinois | $15.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
IL | Chicago | $16.60 | 40 hrs/week |
Indiana | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Iowa | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Kansas | $7.25 | 46 hrs/week | |
Kentucky | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Louisiana | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Maine | $14.65 | 40 hrs/week | |
Maryland | $15.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
Massachusetts | $15.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
Michigan | $12.48 | 40 hrs/week | |
Minnesota | $11.13 | 48 hrs/week | |
Mississippi | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Missouri | $13.75 | 40 hrs/week | |
Montana | $10.55 | 40 hrs/week | |
Nebraska | $13.50 | 40 hrs/week | |
Nevada | $12.00 | 8 hrs/day & 40 hrs/week | |
New Hampshire | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
New Jersey | $15.49 | 40 hrs/week | |
New Mexico | $12.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
New York | $16.50 | 40 hrs/week | |
North Carolina | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
North Dakota | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Ohio | $10.70 | 40 hrs/week | |
Oklahoma | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Oregon | $15.05 | 40 hrs/week | |
OR | Portland | $15.95 | 40 hrs/week |
Pennsylvania | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Rhode Island | $15.00 | 40 hrs/week | |
South Carolina | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
South Dakota | $11.50 | 40 hrs/week | |
Tennessee | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Texas | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Utah | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Vermont | $14.01 | 40 hrs/week | |
Virginia | $12.41 | 40 hrs/week | |
Washington | $16.66 | 40 hrs/week | |
WA | Seattle* | varies | 40 hrs/week |
West Virginia | $8.75 | 40 hrs/week | |
Wisconsin | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week | |
Wyoming | $7.25 | 40 hrs/week (state $5.15) |
Rule tier | What it means | Example states |
---|---|---|
Federal baseline (FLSA) | Time‑and‑a‑half after 40 hours in a workweek. No daily OT requirement. | AL, FL, TX (and 36 others) |
Daily OT @ 8 hrs | 1.5× after 8 hrs in a day; 2× after 12 hrs (CA only). Weekly OT still starts at 40 hrs. | California |
Daily OT @ 12 hrs | Time‑and‑a‑half after 12 hrs in a day; some Colorado industries also trigger OT after 12 consecutive hrs. | CO, NV |
Low weekly threshold | OT starts sooner than 40 hrs. | Minnesota 48 hrs, Kansas 46 hrs |
Double‑time (DT) | 2× regular rate after a set cap (16 hrs in CA; 12 hrs for 7th consecutive day). | CA film shoots |
Sixth/seventh day premium | Many union contracts—but not state law—require 1.5× on the 6th day and 2× on the 7th day of a workweek. | SAG‑AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters agreements |
Use state and union rules. If SAG's daily OT (after 8 hrs) is stricter than state law, you must follow SAG.
Daily split shoots: A California night shoot that runs 5 pm–5 am hits daily OT after 8 hrs, even if weekly hours stay low.
Budget for “golden time.” Shoots that pass 16 hours in CA owe one full day’s pay per GT hour.
Fedral Tax Name | 2025 rate | Taxable wage base | Applies in |
---|---|---|---|
Social Security | 6.2 % | $168,600 | All states |
Medicare | 1.45 % (add 0.9 % employee surtax > $200k) | No cap | All states |
FUTA | 6.0 % minus credit → 0.6 % | $7,000 | All states |
State Unemployment (SUTA/UI) | Varies | State‑specific | Every state |
Job‑training or re‑employment funds | 0.1 %–0.3 % in some states | Usually same as SUTA base | CA, NY, others |
Workers’ comp | Premium per $100 wages | No cap | Carrier‑specific |
Paid leave / disability funds | SDI in CA, PFL/DBL in NY | State‑specific | Only certain states |
Tip: Topsheet’s engine auto‑detects the correct combination based on employee home address, work location, and project type.
CA Tax Name | 2025 rate & base | Cost on $2,500 gross check |
---|---|---|
SUTA (UI) | 3.4 % on first $7,000 / yr Employment Development Department | $85.00 |
ETT (training) | 0.1 % on first $7,000 / yr Employment Development Department | $2.50 |
FUTA | 0.6 % on first $7,000 / yr | $15.00 |
Social Security | 6.2 % on wages ≤ $168,600 | $155.00 |
Medicare | 1.45 % | $36.25 |
Employer tax total | — | $293.75 (11.75 % burden on this check) |
Employees also have 1.2 % SDI deducted from wages—the employer withholds only. Employment Development Department
NY Tax Name | 2025 rate & base | Cost on $2,500 gross check |
---|---|---|
SUTA (UI) | 4.1 % (3.4 % normal + 0.625 % subsidiary + 0.075 % RSF) on first $12,800 / yr Department of LaborDepartment of Labor | $102.50 |
FUTA | 0.6 % on the first $7,000 / yr | $15.00 |
Social Security | 6.2 % | $155.00 |
Medicare | 1.45 % | $36.25 |
Employer tax total | — | $308.75 (12.35 % burden) |
NY Paid Family Leave and Disability Benefit Law premiums are typically employee‑funded or flat‑rate insurance policies; include them in your fringe lines, but they’re not percentage‑of‑payroll taxes.
Need the math done automatically? Topsheet calculates every fringe—union and non‑union—behind the scenes, so your call sheet and payroll report always line up with state and federal law.
Washington leads at $16.66, with San Francisco topping city rates at $19.18.
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and 13 others keep the federal floor.
Overtime triggers at 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week for non‑exempt employees.
Yes—film crews in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and similar jurisdictions must be paid at the higher city rate.
Many states adjust annually on Jan 1; others (e.g., Florida) change in September or July—always verify before payroll.
Topsheet Payroll • team@topsheet.io • Schedule a Meeting
Calculate Your Payroll Taxes -Free Payroll Calculator
Updated 23 July 2025.
Complete SAG‑AFTRA theatrical, low‑budget & ultra‑low‑budget rates for July 2025–June 2026. Day, weekly, stunt & background scales & penalties & FAQs.
Learn how to budget a feature film, short film, or commercial project like an industry professional line producer.