Magicians have been captivating audiences for centuries with their mysterious and mesmerizing performances. From the street corner to the Las Vegas Strip, magicians have been entertaining people of all ages with their illusions and sleight of hand. But how much do top magicians make?
How much can a professional magician earn?
Famous magicians like David Blaine and David Copperfield make millions of dollars per year, while street performers may have to busk for lower rates. The amount of money magicians earn depends on many factors.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists New Jersey as the state with the highest employment for artists such as magicians, due to Atlantic City being a consistent employer of magicians and other performers. If you’re on a tight budget, you might be tempted to hire a magician from the street or one who does kids’ tricks and hands out animal balloons (which tend to burst on the way home).When booking through Gigmasters, the magician receives the customer’s email and phone number as soon as they submit a quote. Gigmasters doesn’t have access to magicians who proactively contact companies about their annual employee appreciation event, and then build a relationship with that company and sell them something special for their employees. I’m telling you the real price of a magician for a show, not an average of hundreds of bookings from hundreds of magicians. If you are a magician because it’s always been your dream, and you’ve put in the time and effort to make it happen, then congratulations! In most cases there is no salary; magicians are only paid for one job, so the amount of work can be unpredictable.
The distortion arises because the number of requests for children’s magicians who perform a 30-minute show is more than twice that of adult magicians, which reduces the average. There are some amateur magicians who never act professionally (for money) who are far more skilled and entertaining than some working magicians. Not all magicians handle all kinds of jobs, so if you see one advertised as ‘for all occasions’, you have good reason to be suspicious.
How much does a magician earn in the UK?
The national average salary of a magician in the UK is £31,595 per year. This figure is based on wage survey data compiled from 33910 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Magician employee. To earn £2000 a month, a magician must charge £347 per concert, do 3 concerts per week and have 2 weeks of vacation each year. This includes built-in taxes and savings.
At the start of their career, a magician may earn around £12,000 annually. However, with experience and reputation, they can make up to £100,000 a year. There are different types of magicians; some don’t perform but create and sell tricks instead. In terms of career progression, magicians can build their contacts and potentially do television work.
The amount of money they make depends on many factors. On average, full-time professional magicians earn around £35,000 in gross income from performing at weddings, parties and corporate events. However, some professional magicians have additional sources of income such as giving lectures, creating and selling magic tricks or working at trade shows. This can increase their earnings to more than £50,000. Semi-professional magicians can expect to make around £10,000 a year while maintaining their day job.
Some of the world’s best magicians have earned impressive amounts; for example Dynamo has earned more than £35,000 for a single performance at a wedding. The cost of hiring a magician depends on their level of skill and what they offer in terms of entertainment. For example, hiring an artist magician may be more expensive than a mentalist act due to the preparation time and accessories they need for their performance. Generally speaking, the cheapest professional magician you can hire for two hours costs around £250 while the most expensive one can cost up to £35,000. Most social events that require a magician take place on weekends so semi-professional magicians can fill their diary throughout the year while still holding down a full-time job.
Cost of hiring a magician
The cost of hiring a magician is $2000 to $5000 per show. Up close, right in front of your nose, these are the magicians who will deceive you with just a deck of cards. Street wizards can also earn more as they perfect their acts, get noticed and attract more passers-by on street corners. Dutch magician Hans Klok, who proclaims himself as The Fastest Illusionist in the World, has performed all over the world and has been seen by millions of people through his numerous television appearances and specials. In addition to touring with his show, The Houdini Experience in Europe, Klok has opened an illusion show in Las Vegas at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. Klok has brought his magic to a unique audience ranging from World Cup football fans to fashion shows. The Magical Mystery Show evokes the best magicians in the world in the best hotels in the world.
The Israeli magician deliberately erased the lines between what is real and what is magical, and the audience ate it, desperately wanting to believe in the paranormal. You may be surprised to discover that Illinois is actually the state that pays the best for magicians (it’s impossible to know exactly what the Las Vegas programs pay for when you hit the big leagues, it’s a negotiation at the time). Street wizards can also make a lot of money, especially in places like Santa Monica, Las Vegas, and other big cities like Boston and Chicago (which usually have simple and indulgent street performance permits).Before signing a record contract at the Monte Carlo Resort in Las Vegas in 1994, Kentucky-born magician Lance Burton had already established himself as one of the best magicians in the world. Here are some winnings figures from some of the top magicians in the world to give you something to aim for:
- David Blaine: $30 million
- David Copperfield: $60 million
- Lance Burton: $100 million
- Hans Klok: $200 million
In most cases there is no salary, magicians are paid for one gig, so the amount of work can be unpredictable. A novel new development that is the result of the pandemic is Zoom Magic, in which a magician performs a live act on Zoom (via webcam) for an online event; the average rate for such a virtual magic show is $1500 per gig.
