Magicians


Overview

Magicians

Introduction

Magicians perform illusions to mystify and entertain audiences. They use quick hand movements and a variety of other techniques to perform classic tricks such as pulling a rabbit out of a hat or making a handkerchief disappear. They often use props, such as illusion boxes, scarves, cards, and coins. Magicians may perform in front of small audiences or entertain thousands of people in large theaters or on television. They generally work alone, but may have one or two assistants help with more involved performances. Because most magic...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$33,155

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Employment Prospects

Fair

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Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma


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Experience

Extensive practice required


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Skills

Interpersonal|Performance, Music, and Acting|Public Speaking


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Personality Traits

Creative|Enterprising|Outgoing

Earnings

While world famous magicians such as Lance Burton and David Copperfield can earn many thousands of dollars for each performance, most magicians do not earn enough from their performances to support themselves financially. The vast majority of magicians perform on nights or weekends while still holding full- or part-time jobs. What they earn as magicians varies depending on their reputation and ...

Work Environment

Magicians generally perform indoors in magic clubs, small theaters, homes, and schools. They arrive at a performance site several hours early to set up props and place any hidden objects. Although performances may run less than an hour, magicians spend many more hours practicing their routines so that everything goes exactly as planned. They have to be able to perform under pressure, maintainin...

Outlook

Magic is a performance art, and like other performance artists, magicians face an uncertain employment picture. If the economy is strong, there will be a greater demand for magicians because people will have more disposable income to spend on entertainment. If the economy is weaker, magicians will have greater difficulty finding work. The Department of Labor forecasts a 3 percent decline in emp...