From 1 July 2026, the SAG-AFTRA minimum for a principal actor on a studio film or TV show is $1,283 a day or $4,456 a week. Lower budget films pay a set percentage of that: $834 a day on a Low Budget film, $449 on a Moderate Low Budget film and $257 on an Ultra Low Budget film. Every figure below was checked against SAG-AFTRA's own rate sheets and wage tables in October 2026. Want the bigger picture, including non-union and theatre pay? See how much actors make.
On this page
These are minimums for principal performers, effective 1 July 2026, from the union's 2026-30 wage tables and SAG-AFTRA's low budget rate sheets.
| Contract | Day | Week |
|---|---|---|
| Theatrical film and TV (day or weekly performer) | $1,283 | $4,456 |
| Low Budget (LBA) | $834 | $2,896 |
| Moderate Low Budget (MPA) | $449 | $1,560 |
| Ultra Low Budget (UPA) | $257 | No weekly rate |
Which contract a film uses depends on its total budget. The ceilings below come from SAG-AFTRA's low budget contracts one-sheet (March 2026), and the rates from the LBA, MPA and UPA rate sheets.
| Agreement | Budget up to | Day | Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatrical (studio features) | Above $2M | $1,283 | $4,456 |
| Low Budget (LBA) | $2M | $834 | $2,896 |
| Moderate Low Budget (MPA) | $700K | $449 | $1,560 |
| Ultra Low Budget (UPA) | $300K | $257 | None |
| Short Project (SPA) | $50K, 40 minutes max | Deferrable | Deferrable |
| Student Film | $35K, 35 minutes max | Deferrable | Deferrable |
| Micro-Budget | $20K | Negotiable | Negotiable |
The one-sheet notes that diversity and background incentives can raise the Ultra Low and Moderate Low budget limits, and that Low Budget features must run at least 80 minutes. Rates shown apply from 1 July 2026. From 1 July 2027 the rate sheets list $859 a day and $2,984 a week (LBA), $462 and $1,607 (MPA), and $264 a day (UPA).
TV minimums from the same 2026-30 wage tables, effective 1 July 2026. Most co-stars are hired as day performers; a "top of show" guest star is a major role performer. Our co-star vs guest star page explains the difference.
| Role | Minimum from 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Day performer (most co-stars) | $1,283 a day |
| Weekly performer | $4,456 a week |
| 3-day performer, half-hour or one-hour show | $3,252 |
| Major role (guest star), half-hour show | $7,057 an episode |
| Major role (guest star), one-hour show | $11,290 an episode |
| Series regular, half-hour, 13 or more episodes guaranteed | $4,456 a week |
| Series regular, half-hour, 6 episodes guaranteed | $5,947 a week |
| Series regular, one-hour, 13 or more episodes guaranteed | $5,361 a week |
| Series regular, one-hour, 6 episodes guaranteed | $6,996 a week |
Background rates depend on the contract. Film and TV figures are from the 2026-30 wage tables; the low budget rows are from the LBA and MPA rate sheets and the low budget one-sheet.
| Role and contract | Minimum |
|---|---|
| General background, film and TV (from 1 July 2026) | $231 a day |
| Special ability background, film and TV | $241 a day |
| Stand-in, film and TV | $270 a day |
| Background on Low Budget and Moderate Low Budget films, when covered | $231 a day ($241 special ability, $270 stand-in) |
| Background on Ultra Low Budget, student and micro-budget films | Not covered by the union |
| Background on union commercials, general extra (from 1 April 2026) | $466.60 a session |
| Stand-in on union commercials (from 1 April 2026) | $513.10 a session |
| Background on a SAG-AFTRA vertical series, under the background incentive | $144 a day |
| Stunt performer, film and TV | $1,283 a day, $4,785 a week |
Three days of covered background work is one of the routes to becoming eligible to join the union. See what SAG-E means, and our guide to becoming a background actor.
Vertical series, the short phone-first dramas shot in a few weeks, have their own SAG-AFTRA deal. The union announced its Verticals Agreement in October 2025 for productions with budgets up to $300,000. Its July 2026 bulletin lists these day rates.
| Role | 8-hour day | 12-hour day |
|---|---|---|
| Lead performer | $250 | $468.75 |
| Other performers | $164 | $307.50 |
There's no weekly or per-episode rate on verticals. For what non-union verticals pay, see how much actors make.
Union commercial rates change each 1 April. From 1 April 2026 (Year 2 of the 2025 Commercials Contracts, confirmed in the Joint Policy Committee's Year 2 bulletin), the session fee is $855.20 for an on-camera principal and $643.00 for an off-camera (voice) principal. The Year 1 rate sheet had them at $822.30 and $618.30. The session fee only covers the shoot; the bigger money in union commercials usually comes from use fees each time the ad runs.
On top of your pay, the producer pays into the SAG-AFTRA pension and health plans. SAG-AFTRA's rate sheets list 22% for performers and 21.5% for background actors from 6 September 2026. It isn't deducted from your wage, and earnings under union contracts count towards qualifying for health coverage.
Scale is the minimum the union has negotiated for a job, which is what every figure on this page is. As Ben Whitehair puts it in our library, it's the floor, not the price: your agent can always negotiate above scale, and established actors usually do. If you're offered a union job, check which contract it's under, because a day on an Ultra Low Budget film and a day on a studio feature are very different minimums.
Effective dates: the 2026 TV/Theatrical contracts run from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030, with a 3% increase in minimums every 1 July, according to SAG-AFTRA's 2026 contracts summary. The film and TV figures above apply from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Commercial rates change each 1 April, and the pension and health rates above apply from 6 September 2026.
Union pay also brings residuals when work is reused; our guide to residuals explains how they work.
General information only, checked October 2026. Rates and rules change, so always check the current SAG-AFTRA rate sheet for your contract, and ask the union or your agent about your situation.
From 1 July 2026, the minimum for a day performer on a theatrical film or TV show is $1,283 a day, or $4,456 a week for a weekly performer.
From 1 July 2026, the Ultra Low Budget day rate is $257, with no weekly rate. It rises to $264 on 1 July 2027.
From 1 July 2026, the major role minimum is $7,057 an episode on a half-hour show and $11,290 on a one-hour show.
From 1 July 2026, the general background rate is $231 a day, special ability background is $241 and stand-ins are $270.
Under the SAG-AFTRA Verticals Agreement, a lead is paid $250 for an 8-hour day and other performers $164, with higher rates for 12-hour days.
Film and TV minimums rise 3% every 1 July under the 2026 to 2030 contracts. Commercial rates change each 1 April.
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