

Jobs Budget
Updated
Synopsis
The story of Steve Jobs, the original innovator and ground-breaking entrepreneur who let nothing stand in the way of greatness. The film tells the turbulent story of Jobs as he blazed a trail that changed technology - and the world - forever.
What is the budget of Jobs?
"Jobs," a drama released in 2013, was directed by Joshua Michael Stern and stars Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad. The production budget was $12,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
What were the major cost factors in Jobs?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Jobs."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Jobs's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $12,000,000, Jobs sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Goon (2012): Budget $12,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,985,158
- Forsaken (2015): Budget $11,000,000
- Beyond Skyline (2017): Budget $14,000,000, Worldwide Gross $992,181
- By the Sea (2015): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $3,727,746
- Eye for an Eye (2025): Budget $10,000,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Jobs Box Office Performance
"Jobs" earned $16,131,410 domestically and $42,100,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $12,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Jobs," that break-even threshold was roughly $24,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $42,100,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $12,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $42,100,000
- Net Return: $30,100,000
- ROI: approximately 250.8%
At 250.8%, "Jobs" earned roughly $3.51 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
2 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Jobs (2013)?
The production budget was $12,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $6,000,000 - $9,600,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $18,000,000 - $21,600,000.
How much did Jobs (2013) earn at the box office?
Jobs grossed $16,131,410 domestic, $25,968,590 international, totaling $42,100,000 worldwide.
Was Jobs (2013) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $12,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$30,000,000, the film earned $42,100,000 theatrically - a 251% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Jobs?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Switzerland, United States of America.
How does Jobs's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $12,000,000, Jobs is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Goon (2012, $12,000,000); Forsaken (2015, $11,000,000); Beyond Skyline (2017, $14,000,000).
Did Jobs (2013) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Jobs?
The theatrical ROI was 250.8%, calculated as ($42,100,000 − $12,000,000) ÷ $12,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Jobs (2013) win?
2 nominations total.
Who directed Jobs and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matt Whiteley, shot by Russell Carpenter, with music by John Debney, edited by Robert Komatsu.
Where was Jobs filmed?
Jobs was filmed in Switzerland, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Jobs
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