04/25/2026
According to the 2026 National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) “State of the Voiceover Industry” survey, 46% of the voiceover actors surveyed reported making $10,000.00 or less in all of 2025.
My point in consistently bringing this up isn’t to be negative or to blame any person or group. If you follow my past posts, you will know that I certainly put responsibility on the leaders of VO-land. Afterall, with leadership comes responsibility. However, I have not been shy about giving us blue collar VO folks our share of responsibility. We consistently have proven to be fussy and flakey folks who love the flashy and who often flail.
My only point in bringing the survey results up is this: I don’t think the VO industry has to be this way.
Why do I think that? Here are three reasons that quickly come to mind:
First, my own, year after year consistent VO-only income success when I am neither that well-educated nor intelligent and not that special or talented. I honestly think that if I can average over $200K for all 14 full calendar years of my VO career, almost every voice actor can make well over $10K per year…even part timers and even beginners. I honestly don’t think it is that hard if you listen to the right people and have the right mindsets.
Second, while 46% of VO actors made less than $10K in all of 2025, in a tiny little voiceover group I belong to, 10 out of 13 members made $10K or more in 2025. That’s over 76% who made $10K or more as opposed to 46% who made $10K or less! (Note: The other three members don’t report their numbers publicly so the percentage may be higher.)
This little group I speak of has 8 full-time actors, who range in VO experience from 5 – 25 years, and who made $59K - $236K in VO-only income in 2025. But there are also 2 part time members (both working full-time as teachers), and they made $10K or more in VO-only income in 2025. This is hard to explain away. Over 76% of this little yet diverse group (lots of ages represented, varying personal and business experience, and actors living in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and the US), defy the NAVA survey results and the thought that this is just how things have to be in VO-land. Again, over 76% of VO actors in this little group make $10K or above, while as a whole, NAVA says 46% of actors surveyed make $10K or less.
Lastly, my own son. Hudson. This month, Hudson started his sixth year as a full-time VO actor. His first five years were difficult, especially mentally. By the way, we started chronicling his VO journey 4 years ago when he was trying to make $500 a week in VO-only income (watch our YouTube videos). We did this as a public accountability to show that how I do business works (and the little group I belong to in point #2 is proof as well). This past year was probably his most difficult because of his expectations. Yet, his business grew and he banked over $90K in voiceover. But Hudson kept relentlessly plodding along doing the same things I did to build my multi-million-dollar VO business. This year, he is starting to reap the benefits. This week alone, Hudson has recorded $8,130.42 in VO-only income. Yes, you read that right, over $8K in one week! Compare that to 46% of VO actors who made $10K or less all of last year! (Hudson has also made $53K so far this year. According to NAVA over 70% of actors surveyed made $50K or less in all of 2025.)
Hmm...
