Disney is one of the largest and most beloved entertainment companies in the world. From its iconic theme parks to its popular films and shows, Disney brings joy to millions. But behind the magic, Disney operates a massive global business empire with over 200,000 employees. So do the people working to make the Disney magic happen actually get paid well?
Disney Employee Pay Overview
In short, most Disney employees are paid around the average for their role and industry, with some variation depending on factors like job type, experience level, and location. Here’s a quick overview:
- The average Disney Parks & Resorts cast member makes around $11 per hour, with roles like character performers and tour guides earning up to $15 per hour.
- Walt Disney Studios workers such as animators and designers make an average of $76,000 per year.
- Disney corporate employees earn an average of $83,000 per year across departments like marketing, finance, and technology.
- Disney executives and leadership can make well into the six figures and millions at the highest levels.
While these averages are reasonably good wages, they’re not necessarily extravagant for such a large global company. Many cast members in particular argue their roles are underpaid considering the physical demands and customer service skills required.
Cast Member and Park Jobs
The largest group of Disney employees work in the iconic Disney Parks & Resorts worldwide. These “cast members” work in front-line roles from quick service restaurants to ride operations to hotel housekeeping and custodial services. According to job sites like Glassdoor, here are typical wages for popular Disney Parks roles in the US:
| Role | Average Hourly Pay |
|---|---|
| Food & Beverage Cast Member | $11 |
| Merchandise Cast Member | $11 |
| Attractions Cast Member | $11 |
| Character Performer | $15 |
| Custodial Cast Member | $11 |
| Parking Attendant | $11 |
| Tour Guide | $15 |
| Hotel Housekeeper | $12 |
| Bus Driver | $14 |
These wages are around the average pay rate for similar tourism, hospitality, and service industry jobs in Florida and California, where most Disney Parks are located. While not highly paid, the jobs provide stable employment with bonus perks like park admission and discounts.
Higher-level Disney Parks and Resorts jobs like operations managers and assistant managers earn average annual salaries between $45k-$75k. Top park executives easily clear six figures. For example, the Chief Operating Officer of Walt Disney World Resorts earns over $700k per year.
Corporate Jobs
Behind its world famous brands and properties, Disney operates a huge global corporation covering business segments like media networks, studio entertainment, consumer products, and technology. Typical white collar jobs at Disney’s corporate offices include:
- Finance and Accounting – Analysts, Accountants, Financial Planners
- Technology – Developers, IT Support, Systems Administrators
- Marketing and Communications – Social Media Strategists, Public Relations, Advertising
- HR and Administration – Recruiters, Coordinators, Administrative Assistants
- Legal – Paralegals, Corporate Lawyers
- Creative – Designers, Copywriters, Researchers
According to Disney’s employee compensation disclosures, the average salary for these types of professional corporate roles across the company is around $83k per year. Software engineering and technology positions tend to earn the most, with average salaries north of $100k. Finance and creative roles also pay well. Entry level corporate roles still offer reasonable compensation between $50k-$60k per year.
Studio Entertainment Jobs
Disney’s famous studios including Walt Disney Animation, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel employ thousands of creative roles across film, television, theme parks, games, and more. Typical studio jobs and average salaries include:
| Role | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Animator | $65k |
| Storyboard Artist | $62k |
| Concept Artist | $67k |
| Production Designer | $82k |
| FX Artist | $71k |
| Technical Director | $88k |
| Producer | $98k |
| Director | $120k |
As you move up the ranks into leadership roles like department heads, VPs, and presidents, studio salaries easily cross into the millions. For example, Walt Disney Animation President Clark Spencer earns a total compensation package worth over $6 million per year.
Executive Pay
Disney’s top executives and leadership team earn multi-million dollar compensation packages in base salary, bonuses, stock awards and options.
Here are the latest publicly disclosed pay packages for Disney’s named executive officers:
| Executive | Total Compensation |
|---|---|
| Robert Iger, Executive Chairman | $45.9 million |
| Bob Chapek, CEO | $24.8 million |
| Christine McCarthy, CFO | $11.7 million |
| Alan Braverman, General Counsel | $10.5 million |
| Zenia Mucha, Communications | $11.3 million |
Former CEO Bob Iger was one of the highest paid executives in the media industry, earning $65.6 million in 2018. While no longer CEO, Iger still earns tens of millions as Executive Chairman advising the company.
Controversies Over Pay
Disney has faced growing controversies in recent years over executive compensation compared to average worker pay. A 2018 survey found Disney’s median employee earned only $46,000 per year, resulting in a CEO to worker pay ratio over 1000:1. Disney later stopped reporting this ratio.
Groups like Abigail Disney, granddaughter of Disney co-founder Roy Disney, have spoken out against the pay gap. Abigail calls the current executive pay “insane” and says it demoralizes lower-paid employees who make the company run each day.
In 2020, Disney announced across-the-board layoffs and furloughs for thousands of park and resort workers due to COVID-19, reigniting debates over compensation.
How Pay Compares to Other Entertainment Companies
Compared to other major entertainment and media companies, Disney’s average employee and executive pay tends to align with industry norms, if not slightly below in some cases.
For example, the average Walt Disney Studios animator makes around $65k per year, comparable to animators at competitors like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sony Pictures Animation. And Disney’s CEO and executive pay, while very high, is actually lower than media leaders like Netflix and Comcast NBCUniversal:
| Company | CEO Total Pay |
|---|---|
| Netflix | $40 million |
| Comcast NBCUniversal | $32.5 million |
| Disney | $24.8 million |
| ViacomCBS | $20 million |
| Sony | $18 million |
This indicates Disney employee pay is largely status quo for the broader media and entertainment industry, where production staff are modestly compensated but top executives earn exponentially more.
Pros and Cons of Working for Disney
When considering a job with Disney, potential employees weigh factors beyond just pay. Here are some key pros and cons:
Pros
- Fun, creative work culture with great benefits like park admission
- World-renowned brand you can be proud to work for
- Stable employment with opportunities to advance over time
- Diverse workforce and commitment to inclusion
- Unique access to work on beloved Disney franchises
Cons
- Lower pay compared to similar high-tech and finance roles
- Long hours and high-pressure deadlines
- Very bureaucratic and political corporate culture
- Limited career mobility across different Disney business units
- Public scrutiny of Disney brand and policies
Conclusion
Overall, Disney offers fair pay for most jobs but not standout compensation compared to competitors. While some roles like park characters and animators earn towards the lower end of averages, strong benefits, growth opportunities, and association with Disney’s magical brand reputation help offset lower salaries.
However, the exponential executive pay is increasingly controversial given Disney’s layoffs and cost-cutting measures affecting lower-paid staff. Many employees believe Disney could share profits more equitably across the whole organization.
For most roles though, Disney pay reflects industry norms and provides stable employment, meaning cast members and staff are neither hugely overpaid nor underpaid compared to entertainment market rates. The premium of working for such an iconic brand offsets lower salaries for many employees.