In some venues, the clowns job is to provide goofy entertainment; in others, it's to provide safety.
People who love to entertain others sometimes opt to become clowns. Pay for clown work varies widely, but typically, you can expect to make between $15,600 and $50,000 annually as a professional clown. Your compensation will depend on whether you are a general or rodeo clown and whether you are salaried or non-salaried.
General Clowns
General clowns are the clowns you might see at an amusement park or hire for a party. These clowns entertain people by doing tricks and other performances, wearing brightly colored, fun costumes. Both the Indeed and SimplyHired websites indicate that the average yearly compensation for a general clown is $38,000 as of May 2011. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistic's normal assumption of 2080 hours of work per year, this would equate to an hourly wage of about $18.27. Many clowns do not work this much, however, meaning that the average hourly rate may be higher.
Rodeo Clowns
Some clowns work in rodeos. In this capacity, the clown, formally known as a rodeo protection athlete, has the job of distracting angry bulls and horses when cowboys are thrown from the saddle. This type of clowning is extremely dangerous, with many rodeo protection athletes sustaining injuries as they try to lead animals away from riders. As a result, clowns who work in rodeos get higher pay than general clowns -- rodeo protection athletes can make around $50,000 a year, says the CareerSearch website. Lauren Sheppard of the Salary website further states that the average rate for rodeo protection athletes is $100 to $225 per rodeo.
Hourly and Package Freelancers Versus Salaried Clowns
Pay for clowns varies greatly depending on whether the clown freelances or is salaried. For a clown who charges by the hour or by package as a freelancer, rates of $40 to $150 per hour were normal as of 1999, according to Olivia Crosby of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay for salaried clowns such as those in circuses typically started at $300 per week in this year. As of 2011, rates can be anywhere between $100 and $485 per hour or package for freelance clowns, says the Costhelper website. Salaried clowns may have paid housing as they travel with their employers, and they also may get other perks like health benefits that freelancers have to cover on their own.
Gigs
Salaried clowns have much more consistent incomes than freelance clowns. Freelancers, regardless of whether they are general clowns or rodeo clowns, can get more money if they can line up more gigs and rodeos, but there is not always a consistent demand for clown work. For instance, work often is more available in the summer months, as weather for parties and outdoor amusement like fairs and rodeos is better. Many people who work as clowns often have other jobs that can supplement their income, as in common in other entertainment sectors.
