Salary Question (Box Office)

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:10pm

I am aware of some places that have BOX OFFICE Manger positions open in larger cities around the United States and I was wondering what you think the norm for salary would be....
Does it depend on the size? The style show? How big it is? If anyone has any information it would be greatly appreciated... And if this should be on the O/T list.. let me know and I will flip it.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:18pm

They get paid for working at the theatre! its nothing to do with the shows, the capacity or anything like that. its the job!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:49pm

The theatres employ you, not the shows.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 11:07pm

Maybe I did not make myself clear. I do apologize.
I know that you don't get paid by the show but by the theater. My question was approximately how much should one get paid being a box office manager. If I was to go to an interview for a job such as this... what is a reasonable salary for this type of job?
My question was relating to if you get more being a box office manager if it was, say Roundabout or a Community Theater... that was my question. I apologize if it did not make sense.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 7:27am

...anyone? anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Anon2]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 7:44am

As i've never been a box office manager i don't know definate salary's but i've googled and a place in kent are advertising for a box office manage which is £15,000 - £22,000 which is about $29,801.89 to $43,709.70. But as WB2 said it's matter less how big the show is whether it's Wicked or A 1 man show - you get the same wage as you have been contracted as you are hired by the theatre owners not the production company.

hope this makes some sense

[artscallion]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:14am

It's like any other job and depends on lots of things. But none of them is a reliable indicator of salary. Particularly in an industry like theatre, it can be all over the board.

That said, potential indicators of salary would be:

-whether or not it's a not-for-profit. they generally pay everybody on the lower rungs much less. They expect that everybody, except upper management, is doing it for the love of the art, not the money.

-the number of performances they put on. Is it a touring house that puts on six shows a year with one to two week runs and then rents out the theatre to events that don't use the Box Office?. Or is it a regional company that puts on six or eight shows a year, each with a six week run?

- is it open year-round? Does it close in the summer? Or is it only a summer theatre?

-Do they have a subscriber base? How big?

-Are the Box Office Agents unionionized?

-is it in NYC or Peebucket, West Virginia?

With all this taken into consideration, expect the same as any lower-middle management job that doesn't require a degree in that city, between $25 and $40 thousand a year in the average city, I'd say?

Updated On: 8/15/07 at 08:14 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:37am

You sure Peebucket is in West Virginia? I was almost certain it was in Kentucky.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 9:24am

PeeBucket is Alabama.

Thanks so much for all your information. it is a non profit that does shows year round in Washington, DC. They are offering, I beleve mid 20s. Shame really seeing as DC is a hugely expensive city and that would not pay my rent.

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:51am

As soon as you said "non profit", I started shaking my head. It's rare to find a non-profit job in DC that really pays a good amount. Most of the high paying positions are executive positions. I used to Part-Time at Studio Theatre and they didn't pay crap. But I got to see shows for free, so it worked out.

[matjomae]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 9:35pm

I have a good friend who is the Box Office Manager at a 1200 capacity theater in Tennessee. Her starting salary was $32,000 I remember. Although she hates her position, she has amazing ticketmaster connections which is a great, great job perk I have personally benefited from ; )