Best Producer programs in Michigan, ranked by enrollment
Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction.
30 schools in Michigan run programs that feed this job, graduating 591 people a year. The job pays a median of $65,720 in Michigan across about 2,310 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Michigan that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
7 programs in Michigan that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Michigan (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Michigan page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0601In Michigan → | 213 | 36.0% | 12 | $25,014 | $24,650 |
| 2 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, Generalmain feeder CIP 50.0501In Michigan → | 160 | 27.1% | 18 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0602In Michigan → | 126 | 21.3% | 8 | $25,014 | $24,650 |
| 4 | Musical Theatremain feeder CIP 50.0509In Michigan → | 52 | 8.8% | 7 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 5 | CIP 09.0701In Michigan → | 31 | 5.2% | 5 | $29,112 | $23,836 |
| 6 | Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Othermain feeder CIP 50.0599In Michigan → | 6 | 1.0% | 3 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 7 | CIP 50.1004In Michigan → | 3 | 0.5% | 2 | $28,050 | $25,468 |
Top 25 schools in Michigan
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 9 of the 30 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 143 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | $25,565 | 93% | — | 16% |
| 2 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 79 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | $18,750 | 58% | — | 81% |
| 3 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 64 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | $25,256 | 67% | — | 83% |
| 4 | Motion Picture Institute Troy, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | — | — | — | 90% |
| 5 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | $17,328 | 81% | — | 85% |
| 6 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · 5 feeder programs | 38 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | $22,011 | 58% | — | 88% |
| 7 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 20 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 46% | — | 80% |
| 8 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 17 | Musical Theatre | $21,585 | 58% | — | 85% |
| 9 | Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | $15,906 | 74% | $22,391 | 71% |
| 10 | College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | $24,350 | 71% | $32,153 | 92% |
| 11 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 11 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | $17,962 | 59% | — | 90% |
| 12 | Delta College University Center, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 11 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | — | 27% | — | — |
| 13 | Madonna University Livonia, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 10 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | — | 60% | $16,904 | 63% |
| 14 | Mott Community College Flint, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | — | 32% | — | — |
| 15 | Adrian College Adrian, MI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 9 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | — | 48% | $20,357 | 73% |
| 16 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 8 | Cinematography and Film/Video Production | — | 52% | — | 84% |
| 17 | Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 8 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | — | 21% | — | — |
| 18 | Siena Heights University Adrian, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 39% | $17,015 | 69% |
| 19 | Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 90% | — | 21% |
| 20 | Hope College Holland, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 80% | $21,746 | 79% |
| 21 | Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 76% | $19,279 | 75% |
| 22 | Cornerstone University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 3 | Radio and Television | — | 62% | $21,132 | 78% |
| 23 | Henry Ford College Dearborn, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 17% | — | — |
| 24 | Muskegon Community College Muskegon, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Radio and Television | — | 28% | — | — |
| 25 | University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | — | 67% | $16,109 | 75% |
All 30 schools in Michigan
Every school in Michigan with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Public | 143 | 3 |
| Wayne State University | Detroit | Public | 79 | 4 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Public | 64 | 2 |
| Motion Picture Institute | Troy | Private for-profit | 50 | 1 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | Public | 47 | 2 |
| Oakland University | Rochester Hills | Public | 38 | 5 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti | Public | 20 | 3 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo | Public | 17 | 2 |
| Calvin University | Grand Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 1 |
| College for Creative Studies | Detroit | Private not-for-profit | 13 | 1 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant | Public | 11 | 3 |
| Delta College | University Center | Public | 11 | 2 |
| Madonna University | Livonia | Private not-for-profit | 10 | 2 |
| Mott Community College | Flint | Public | 10 | 1 |
| Adrian College | Adrian | Private not-for-profit | 9 | 3 |
What producers and directors earn in Michigan
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $90,360. Michigan pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Michigan
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Producers and Directors page.
How to become a Producer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Michigan
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 10 majors mapped to Producers and Directors10 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 09.0701Radio and Television
- 50.0501Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
- 50.0507Directing and Theatrical Production
- 50.0509Musical Theatre
- 50.0512Theatre and Dance
- 50.0599Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other
- 50.0601Film/Cinema/Media Studies
- 50.0602Cinematography and Film/Video Production
- 50.0607Documentary Production
- 50.1004Theatre/Theatre Arts Management
Common questions
Answers for people weighing producers and directors programs in Michigan.
What degree do you need to become a Producer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Film/Cinema/Media Studies, which awarded 213 degrees in Michigan in 2024-25, 36.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Producer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Radio, Arts. Together they graduate about 591 people a year in Michigan.
How much do producers and directors earn in Michigan?+
The median is $65,720 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 27.3% below the U.S. median of $90,360. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for producers and directors growing?+
BLS projects a +4.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 12,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Michigan?+
30 institutions in Michigan reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do producers and directors work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Director, Producer, Casting Agent, News Director, News Producer, Program Manager among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-2012.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card