How much does it cost to run a projector?
A projector costs about 4.5¢ per hour, 9.2¢ a day, $2.80 a month and $34 a year at typical use (2 hours a day) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. Lamp-based home projectors draw 200-350 W; eco lamp mode cuts that by about 25%. Small LED projectors draw far less but are dimmer.
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Cost by setting
| Setting | Watts | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable LED | 60 | 1.1¢ | 2.4¢ | $0.72 | $9 |
| Laser / LED home | 200 | 3.6¢ | 7.4¢ | $2.25 | $27 |
| Lamp home theater | 250 | 4.5¢ | 9.2¢ | $2.80 | $34 |
| Lamp bright mode | 350 | 6.3¢ | 13¢ | $3.89 | $47 |
At 2 hours a day and 17.99¢/kWh.
Cost by hours of use
| Hours per day | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year (all year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 0.26 | 4.7¢ | $1.43 | $17 |
| 2 hours | 0.51 | 9.2¢ | $2.80 | $34 |
| 4 hours | 1.01 | 18¢ | $5.53 | $66 |
| 8 hours | 2.01 | 36¢ | $11.00 | $132 |
| 12 hours | 3.01 | 54¢ | $16.46 | $198 |
| 24 hours | 6.00 | $1.08 | $32.85 | $394 |
Cost to run a projector in every state
The same projector costs $23 a year in North Dakota and $81 in Hawaii, at each state's average residential rate (12 months ending July 2026).
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.32¢ | 3.1¢ | $1.92 | $23 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | 3.2¢ | $1.97 | $24 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | 3.2¢ | $2.00 | $24 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | 3.2¢ | $2.02 | $24 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | 3.3¢ | $2.07 | $25 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | 3.3¢ | $2.08 | $25 |
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | 3.4¢ | $2.09 | $25 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | 3.4¢ | $2.11 | $25 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | 3.4¢ | $2.13 | $26 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.15 | $26 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.17 | $26 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.17 | $26 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.18 | $26 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.20 | $26 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.20 | $26 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | 3.5¢ | $2.21 | $27 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | 3.7¢ | $2.30 | $28 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | 3.7¢ | $2.30 | $28 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | 3.8¢ | $2.35 | $28 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | 3.8¢ | $2.35 | $28 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | 3.8¢ | $2.38 | $29 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | 3.8¢ | $2.39 | $29 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | 3.9¢ | $2.40 | $29 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | 3.9¢ | $2.41 | $29 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | 3.9¢ | $2.41 | $29 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | 3.9¢ | $2.43 | $29 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | 4.0¢ | $2.48 | $30 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | 4.1¢ | $2.52 | $30 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | 4.1¢ | $2.56 | $31 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | 4.1¢ | $2.56 | $31 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | 4.1¢ | $2.58 | $31 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | 4.2¢ | $2.63 | $32 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | 4.4¢ | $2.77 | $33 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | 4.6¢ | $2.84 | $34 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | 4.7¢ | $2.91 | $35 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | 4.7¢ | $2.92 | $35 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | 5.2¢ | $3.22 | $39 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | 5.3¢ | $3.27 | $39 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | 5.3¢ | $3.27 | $39 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | 5.9¢ | $3.70 | $44 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | 6.0¢ | $3.70 | $44 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | 6.0¢ | $3.76 | $45 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | 6.7¢ | $4.15 | $50 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | 6.7¢ | $4.18 | $50 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | 7.0¢ | $4.35 | $52 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | 7.1¢ | $4.42 | $53 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | 7.3¢ | $4.55 | $55 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | 7.3¢ | $4.56 | $55 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | 7.6¢ | $4.73 | $57 |
| California | 32.99¢ | 8.2¢ | $5.13 | $62 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | 11¢ | $6.77 | $81 |
How to cut the cost
- Use Eco lamp mode, which drops draw 20-30% and doubles lamp life.
- Darken the room so you can run a lower brightness setting.
- Turn the projector fully off with the power button rather than leaving it in standby or network-standby mode.
- Clean the air filter every 100 hours so the fan does not run harder.
Cheaper ways to get the job done
Laser light sources use less power per lumen than lamps and need no bulb replacement.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a projector per hour?
A projector drawing 250 watts uses 0.25 kWh per hour. At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 4.5¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 3.1¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 11¢.
How much does it cost to run a projector per month?
At typical use (2 hours a day), a projector costs about $2.80 a month and $34 a year, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.
How many watts does a projector use?
Most projectors use 30 to 450 watts, depending on the setting (portable led 60 W, laser / led home 200 W, lamp home theater 250 W, lamp bright mode 350 W). Plugged in but off, it still draws about 0.5 W of standby power. Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.
How many kWh does a projector use?
About 0.51 kWh a day and 187 kWh a year at typical use (2 hours a day).
Does a projector use a lot of electricity?
No. At about 187 kWh a year it's a small share (1.8%) of the average U.S. home's 10,492 kWh.
Is it cheaper to run a projector or a TV?
At typical use, a projector costs about $34 a year versus $27 for a TV. So the TV is cheaper by about $7 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.
How can I lower the cost of running a projector?
- Use Eco lamp mode, which drops draw 20-30% and doubles lamp life.
- Darken the room so you can run a lower brightness setting.
- Turn the projector fully off with the power button rather than leaving it in standby or network-standby mode.
Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.