[SML] TD salary range/staffing logistics/advice

[Daniel A.]

In Kansas City the going rate is around 70-90k

But I would advise you to flip the equation. Create your own budget of what
you need. This is your Minimum. keep going to identify your target.

Does the salary fall in line with your target or does it put you into a
financial hole?

Not really something we can answer but if you accept a job based off of the
published salary without consulting your own budget you can dig a hole
really quick.


*Dan Ayers*
dan at danayers.net


On Tue, Jul 8, 2025 at 8:15 PM John McAfee via Stagecraft <
stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> Thanks, this is helpful! And Tim, thanks for confirming my thoughts.
>
>
> On Jul 8, 2025, at 11:14 AM, Kristi R-C <misswisc at aol.com> wrote:
>
> That is on the low side, IMHO. Indeed puts it at $65K-$80K
>
> Better yet, use this: Living Wage Calculator - Living Wage Calculation
> for District of Columbia, District of Columbia
> <https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/11001>
>
> Living Wage Calculator - Living Wage Calculation for District of ...
>
> <https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/11001>
>
> Kristi RC
>
>
>
> On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 08:33:19 AM CDT, John McAfee via Stagecraft <
> stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> I’ve gotten an offer for a TD position from a LORT theatre in the DC
> area.  The salary offer is 67,000, which seems low to me and is 3,000 lower
> than the last time the position was advertised.  The shop currently
> consists of two carpenters and a scenic artist, with no plans to hire an
> ATD or shop supervisor (which were previous positions).  This means that I
> would be the only exempt staff member in scenic and though I could accrue
> comp time for weeks where I work over 40 hours, I don’t know that I’d
> practically be able to take it.  Not staffing up indicates financial
> uncertainty (understandable in the current climate), but by saving the
> salaries of the other two positions, the extra slack would fall to the TD
> and there should be some compensatory acknowledgment of that.
>
> The upcoming season -could- be built successfully with a lean shop
> supplemented by overhire, but I expect a professional theater that builds
> scenery in-house to have a TD, ATD, shop supervisor, and at least three
> carpenters along with a painter (ideally at least a painter and a half).
>
> I’ve spent much of my career in higher ed, where I have been generally
> underpaid and deeply understaffed, so I wanted to get a temperature check
> for my assumptions as I go into negotiation/shop advocacy.
>
> Happy to answer questions.
>
> Thanks,
> John
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