How Much Do Voice Actors and Models Get Paid?
Voice acting and modeling are two of the most accessible on-camera and behind-the-mic gigs in entertainment — and two of the hardest to price. Pay swings wildly depending on the job type, the market, whether the work is union, and how (and how long) the client’s voice or image gets used.
This guide gives you realistic, clearly-labeled market ranges for both fields so you can quote confidently, spot a lowball offer, and know which gigs are actually worth your time.
Important: none of these figures are official or fixed. They’re typical ranges drawn from commonly cited market data. Every job is negotiable, and your rate will depend on experience, market, and usage. If you’re unsure where you land in a range, widen it and quote toward the upper half — it’s easier to negotiate down than up.
[INTERNAL LINK: how to find casting calls for voiceover and modeling work — target page description: beginner’s guide to getting started on casting platforms]
Part 1: Voice Actor Pay Rates
Voiceover work splits into two income streams: the session fee (what you’re paid to record) and usage (what you’re paid for how the recording is used). Understanding the split is the single most important thing in this section — it’s where most beginners leave money on the table.
Commercial Voiceover
Commercial VO — TV, radio, online ads, pre-roll — is the best-paid bread-and-butter work in voiceover, and the session fee is only half the story.
- Typical session range: most non-union commercial voice actors charge roughly $250–$1,000+ per session, depending on the market and the spot’s reach.
- Local radio or streaming spot: often lands in the $250–$400 range for the session.
- Regional or national broadcast: $500–$1,000+ per session is common for established talent.
Where the real money is: usage. A session fee gets you into the booth; usage (also called “buyout” or “licensing”) pays you for where the spot airs and for how long. A local radio ad running three months might include a modest usage fee baked into the session rate, while a national TV spot running a year can pay multiples of the session fee in usage alone. Always quote session + usage separately, and always get the usage terms (media, territory, duration) in writing before you record.
Animation and Video Games
- Animation (TV, streaming, feature): union sessions typically run around $1,000+ per session for lead/character work on a TV episode; non-union animation commonly falls in the $250–$600 per session range depending on the project and role size.
- Video games: most game VO pays roughly $250–$600 per hour of recording for non-union work. Union game sessions (under the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Agreement) start around $1,000+ per session day.
Game work deserves a warning: shouting, battle cries, and creature sounds are vocally demanding. Experienced game actors build vocal-protection time into their schedules — and into their quotes.
Audiobooks: Per Finished Hour
Audiobooks pay by the finished hour — one hour of finished audio, not one hour of your time. A finished hour typically takes 3–6 hours of recording and editing, so do the math before you accept a rate.
- Typical range: most audiobook narrators charge roughly $200–$400 per finished hour.
- Royalty-share deals: some publishers offer no upfront pay and split royalties instead. This is a gamble — fine as a calculated bet on a bestselling author, risky for an unknown title.
For a 10-hour audiobook at $300 PFH, that’s $3,000 — but expect 30–60 hours of real work behind it. Price accordingly.
E-Learning and Corporate Narration
The corporate world pays well for voices and rarely negotiates hard, which makes e-learning and corporate narration one of the steadiest income sources in VO.
- E-learning: typically around $300–$600 per finished hour, though many narrators quote per module or per project ($400–$1,000+ per project for mid-length courses).
- Corporate narration (internal videos, explainers, onboarding): roughly $400–$1,000 per project depending on length and script complexity.
Because corporate clients care more about reliability than rock-bottom prices, this category is a strong one for newer voice actors to target while building their demo reel.
[INTERNAL LINK: how to make a voiceover demo reel — target page description: guide to recording a competitive VO demo]
Union vs. Non-Union: How It Changes Pay
Union membership (SAG-AFTRA in the US) sets minimums — guaranteed floors, not ceilings. For example, union minimums run roughly $1,000+ per TV commercial session and around $1,082 for a TV animation session over 10 minutes. Union work also brings residuals (repeat payments when spots re-air) and pension/health contributions.
Non-union work has no floor, which cuts both ways: you can book more jobs with less competition, but you have to set and defend your own rates. The practical move for non-union talent: use union minimums as your reference point when negotiating, and never let a client treat non-union status as a discount on your quote.
How Usage and Buyouts Affect Pay
Three terms every voice actor should have locked down:
- Usage: payment for where the spot runs (TV, radio, streaming, social), the territory (local, regional, national, worldwide), and the duration (3 months, 6 months, 1 year, in perpetuity). Broader usage = higher pay. Always renew usage in writing if a client wants to keep running the spot past the original term.
- Buyout: a one-time payment covering the recording for a defined period or forever. A “full buyout” (paid once, used forever) should command a serious premium — many actors quote 2–4x the session fee, sometimes more for national broadcast.
- Session fee: the base payment for your time in the booth, regardless of what happens to the recording afterward. Quote this separately from usage so the client can’t blur the two.
Red flag: any contract that pays a flat session fee and asks for unlimited usage in perpetuity. That’s a buyout priced as a session fee — quote it like a buyout or walk.
Part 2: Modeling Pay Rates
Modeling pay runs on day rates (or half-day rates) plus usage for commercial work. Like voiceover, the headline number is the day rate — but for print and commercial jobs, usage can add significantly on top.
Commercial and Print Modeling
This is the best-paid mainstream modeling category: catalogs, lookbooks, e-commerce, print ads, and commercial campaigns.
- Typical day rates: most commercial/print models earn roughly $200–$1,500+ per day, with the range driven by job type and market.
- E-commerce and catalog (regional markets): often $200–$500 per day.
- National print campaigns or commercial shoots (LA/NYC): $800–$1,500+ per day is typical for experienced talent, and major campaigns pay more once usage fees are added.
For commercial jobs, always ask about usage: a day rate covers your time on set, but if your image runs in a national campaign for a year, usage fees are standard on top of the day rate.
Runway and Fashion Shows
Runway pays less than most people expect, and many emerging designers pay little or nothing — models take these jobs for exposure and portfolio material, not income.
- Typical range: roughly $150–$500 per show for standard runway work.
- Major fashion weeks / established designers (LA, NYC, Miami): $500–$1,000+ per show for experienced runway talent.
Treat unpaid or low-paid runway as a portfolio investment with a clear limit: a few prestige shows build your book; a year of free shows is just free labor.
Fit Modeling
Fit models try on clothing so designers can check sizing and construction — it’s steady, behind-the-scenes work with regular hours, and it pays well relative to the glamour level.
- Typical range: roughly $150–$400 per hour for experienced fit models in major markets; sessions are usually booked in multi-hour blocks, so a full day can exceed $1,000.
- Fit modeling values consistency over look: reliable measurements, punctuality, and the ability to give useful fit feedback matter more than editorial edge.
What Actually Moves Your Rate
Four variables drive modeling pay more than anything else:
- Market. LA, NYC, and Miami pay meaningfully more than regional markets — typically 30–100% more for comparable jobs. Working in a major market, or traveling to one for booked work, is one of the fastest ways to raise your day rate.
- Experience and book. A strong portfolio lets you quote the top of every range. New models in a major market often start at the bottom of the range and climb within a year or two of consistent bookings.
- Job type. Commercial and fit modeling pay the best; runway and editorial pay less but build the portfolio that unlocks commercial work.
- Usage. For print and commercial jobs, negotiate usage separately from the day rate. A national campaign running a year can double or triple your total pay through usage fees — or cost you nothing extra if you sign it away unknowingly.
[INTERNAL LINK: how to build a modeling portfolio — target page description: guide to creating a competitive model portfolio and comp card]
Avoiding Modeling Scams
Modeling is one of the most scam-targeted industries in entertainment. The rules are simple and absolute:
- Never pay upfront fees to an agency or “casting director.” Legitimate agencies earn commission from your booked work (typically 15–20%) — they do not charge you to sign, to be listed, or to be “considered.” Anyone asking for a registration fee, portfolio fee, or “guaranteed placement” payment is running a scam.
- Never pay for mandatory photo shoots with a specific photographer. A real agency may suggest photographers, but it won’t require you to pay their in-house shooter to be represented.
- Verify the agency. Check that the agency has a real office, real clients, and a real roster. Search the agency name plus “scam” or “complaint” before signing anything.
- Read every contract. Especially the sections on exclusivity, commission rates, and how long the agency controls your bookings. If anything is unclear, have someone experienced review it before you sign.
One legitimate upfront cost exists: your own portfolio photos from a photographer you choose. That’s your investment, not a fee paid to an agency.
FAQ
How much do beginner voice actors make per hour?
Most beginners booking non-union work charge roughly $150–$300 per hour for basic narration or small commercial jobs, with rates climbing as demos and credits build. Beginners should avoid racing to the bottom — underpricing early sets a ceiling that’s hard to raise later.
What is a per finished hour (PFH) rate?
A PFH rate pays you for each hour of completed, delivered audio — not the hours you spent recording and editing it. One finished hour typically takes 3–6 hours of total work, so a $300 PFH rate works out to roughly $50–$100 per actual hour of labor.
How much do models get paid per day?
Typical modeling day rates run roughly $200–$1,500+ depending on the job type and market. E-commerce and catalog work in regional markets sits at the lower end; national commercial campaigns in LA or NYC sit at the upper end, with usage fees on top for print and commercial jobs.
Do models or voice actors make more money?
It depends on the category. Top commercial voice actors and top commercial models both earn well into six figures; at the entry level, both typically land in the low hundreds per gig. Voiceover tends to offer steadier volume (e-learning, corporate narration), while modeling’s highest paydays come from commercial campaigns with usage fees.
Should I join SAG-AFTRA as a voice actor?
Joining makes sense once you’re consistently booking work that could be union, since it guarantees minimums, residuals, and benefits. But union membership means you can’t take non-union jobs, so most actors wait until their income and booking volume justify the switch.
Find Voiceover and Modeling Gigs on Project Casting
Knowing the rates is step one — booking the work is step two. Project Casting is a marketplace for TV, film, and advertising productions where voiceover artists and models browse real casting calls and apply directly. Browse the latest voiceover and modeling gigs, submit your demo or portfolio, and start booking work at rates you actually deserve.
[INTERNAL LINK: browse voiceover casting calls — target page description: Project Casting voiceover casting calls listing]
[INTERNAL LINK: browse modeling casting calls — target page description: Project Casting modeling casting calls listing]
