Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film (SOC 27-4031) earn a median $74,990 a year ($36.05 an hour) in the United States, with 21,550 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What camera operators, television, video, and film do
Camera operators run television, video, or film cameras to record images or scenes for productions in those media. They compose and frame each shot, using technical knowledge of light, lenses, film, and filters, and adjust camera positions and controls to change focus and other settings. They operate zoom lenses to change images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions, use a range of camera mounts, such as stationary and track-mounted setups, and consult directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew about what each shot requires. They look over sets or locations for problems and to work out filming and lighting needs, and set up and carry out live shots for broadcast. Alternate titles include aerial camera operator and animation camera operator. They differ from still photographers, who produce individual images, and from film and video editors, who work with recorded footage.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is an associate's degree or similar two-year credential.
Also called: Advanced Air Mobility Operator, Advanced Air Mobility Pilot, Advanced Air Mobility Technician, Aerial Camera Operator, Animation Camera Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.52 | $24.48 | $36.05 | $51.28 | $64.99 | $40.01 | 21,550 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $50,920 | $74,990 | $106,660 | $135,180 | $83,210 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where camera operators, television, video, and film earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $25.92 | $36.57 | $51.39 | $62.96 | $74.16 | $51.13 | 4,700 | 0.26 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $53,910 | $76,060 | $106,900 | $130,960 | $154,240 | $106,350 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.68 | $33.60 | $48.16 | $60.99 | $64.40 | $46.41 | 1,060 | 0.17 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $38,840 | $69,900 | $100,170 | $126,860 | $133,940 | $96,520 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $30.02 | $39.57 | $47.26 | $59.36 | $64.64 | $48.56 | 240 | 0.35 | 2.51 |
| Annual | $62,450 | $82,300 | $98,300 | $123,470 | $134,450 | $100,990 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.27 | $36.21 | $44.91 | $53.30 | $64.14 | $47.63 | 2,930 | 0.30 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $56,710 | $75,310 | $93,410 | $110,860 | $133,410 | $99,080 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $17.43 | $23.51 | $40.89 | $62.96 | $76.49 | $46.93 | 570 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $36,250 | $48,900 | $85,050 | $130,960 | $159,090 | $97,600 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $25.92 | $36.57 | $51.39 | $62.96 | $74.16 | $51.13 | 4,700 | 0.26 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $53,910 | $76,060 | $106,900 | $130,960 | $154,240 | $106,350 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.27 | $36.21 | $44.91 | $53.30 | $64.14 | $47.63 | 2,930 | 0.30 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $56,710 | $75,310 | $93,410 | $110,860 | $133,410 | $99,080 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.56 | $21.61 | $30.34 | $37.82 | $53.84 | $32.08 | 1,100 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $32,360 | $44,950 | $63,110 | $78,670 | $111,990 | $66,720 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.68 | $33.60 | $48.16 | $60.99 | $64.40 | $46.41 | 1,060 | 0.17 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $38,840 | $69,900 | $100,170 | $126,860 | $133,940 | $96,520 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.49 | $19.72 | $29.91 | $43.38 | $63.61 | $34.29 | 970 | 0.10 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $32,230 | $41,010 | $62,220 | $90,230 | $132,320 | $71,320 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $27.15 | $41.31 | $51.74 | $64.70 | $74.16 | $52.86 | 3,540 | 0.56 | 4.07 |
| Annual | $56,480 | $85,930 | $107,620 | $134,570 | $154,240 | $109,940 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.68 | $33.61 | $49.22 | $51.57 | $63.12 | $46.02 | 740 | 0.16 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $36,770 | $69,900 | $102,370 | $107,270 | $131,300 | $95,720 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $30.22 | $31.90 | $47.35 | $61.00 | $74.94 | $49.63 | 280 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $62,850 | $66,340 | $98,500 | $126,880 | $155,870 | $103,230 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $25.40 | $34.71 | $44.91 | $51.01 | $63.84 | $45.76 | 3,000 | 0.32 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $52,830 | $72,200 | $93,410 | $106,110 | $132,790 | $95,180 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $22.06 | $30.09 | $40.81 | $46.72 | $54.47 | $38.91 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $45,890 | $62,590 | $84,870 | $97,180 | $113,300 | $80,940 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $27.15 | $41.31 | $51.74 | $64.70 | $74.16 | $52.86 | 3,540 | 0.56 | 4.07 |
| Annual | $56,480 | $85,930 | $107,620 | $134,570 | $154,240 | $109,940 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $25.40 | $34.71 | $44.91 | $51.01 | $63.84 | $45.76 | 3,000 | 0.32 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $52,830 | $72,200 | $93,410 | $106,110 | $132,790 | $95,180 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.68 | $33.61 | $49.22 | $51.57 | $63.12 | $46.02 | 740 | 0.16 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $36,770 | $69,900 | $102,370 | $107,270 | $131,300 | $95,720 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.60 | $30.59 | $40.06 | $50.16 | $63.37 | $42.65 | 500 | 0.16 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $49,080 | $63,640 | $83,320 | $104,330 | $131,810 | $88,700 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $17.40 | $23.51 | $36.66 | $66.40 | $76.49 | $46.57 | 360 | 0.13 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $36,190 | $48,900 | $76,250 | $138,120 | $159,090 | $96,860 | ||||
Top industries employing camera operators, television, video, and film
Motion Picture and Video Industries employ 35.2% of camera operators, television, video, and film nationally (7,580 jobs) at a median $93,940 a year ($45.17 an hour), followed by Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (11.1%) and Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (8.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 7,580 | 35.2% | $93,940 | $45.17 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations NAICS 516100 | 2,400 | 11.1% | $61,850 | $29.74 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers NAICS 516200 | 1,830 | 8.5% | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,440 | 6.7% | $110,570 | $53.16 |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 1,010 | 4.7% | $53,790 | $25.86 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (21,550). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,230 for camera operators, television, video, and film in May 2021 and $74,990 in May 2025, with employment of 20,280 and 21,550.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,230 | $23.67 | 20,280 |
| May 2022 | $58,230 | $27.99 | 22,970 |
| May 2023 | $61,800 | $29.71 | 23,940 |
| May 2024 | $68,810 | $33.08 | 24,460 |
| May 2025 | $74,990 | $36.05 | 21,550 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $51.39 | $106,900 | $53,910 | $154,240 | 4,700 | 0.26 | 1.86 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $48.16 | $100,170 | $38,840 | $133,940 | 1,060 | 0.17 | 1.25 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $47.26 | $98,300 | $62,450 | $134,450 | 240 | 0.35 | 2.51 |
| 4 | New York profile | $44.91 | $93,410 | $56,710 | $133,410 | 2,930 | 0.30 | 2.19 |
| 5 | Georgia profile | $40.89 | $85,050 | $36,250 | $159,090 | 570 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| 6 | Alaska profile | $40.20 | $83,620 | $43,140 | $83,630 | 50 | 0.14 | 1.01 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $36.05 | $74,990 | $47,900 | $122,170 | 300 | 0.11 | 0.76 |
| 8 | Utah profile | $35.31 | $73,450 | $39,940 | $105,270 | 240 | 0.14 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Arizona profile | $32.81 | $68,250 | $38,520 | $162,960 | 520 | 0.16 | 1.17 |
| 10 | Maryland profile | $31.67 | $65,870 | $44,900 | $97,800 | 290 | 0.11 | 0.77 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $31.55 | $65,630 | $37,000 | $89,900 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.72 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $31.18 | $64,860 | $43,080 | $104,830 | 520 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| 13 | Texas profile | $30.34 | $63,110 | $32,360 | $111,990 | 1,100 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 14 | North Carolina profile | $30.15 | $62,720 | $43,040 | $85,710 | 380 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 15 | Florida profile | $29.91 | $62,220 | $32,230 | $132,320 | 970 | 0.10 | 0.71 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $29.86 | $62,110 | $33,160 | $99,560 | 320 | 0.21 | 1.49 |
| 17 | Alabama profile | $29.71 | $61,800 | $41,190 | $69,630 | 220 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 18 | Massachusetts profile | $29.48 | $61,320 | $31,300 | $133,760 | 370 | 0.10 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Kansas profile | $29.18 | $60,690 | $36,270 | $90,820 | 110 | 0.08 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Washington profile | $28.97 | $60,250 | $37,780 | $130,410 | 440 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| 21 | Louisiana profile | $28.10 | $58,440 | $38,590 | $95,990 | 270 | 0.14 | 1.00 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $28.10 | $58,440 | $41,710 | $98,870 | 420 | 0.10 | 0.74 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $27.95 | $58,140 | $33,540 | $98,770 | 120 | 0.14 | 1.01 |
| 24 | South Carolina profile | $27.86 | $57,940 | $40,740 | $76,110 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $27.51 | $57,220 | $36,700 | $81,180 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.43 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | $27.42 | $57,030 | $40,440 | $131,050 | 460 | 0.14 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $27.31 | $56,810 | $34,640 | $76,540 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $26.58 | $55,290 | $38,280 | $81,030 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.62 |
| 29 | Kentucky profile | $25.86 | $53,790 | $43,420 | $70,480 | 170 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 30 | North Dakota profile | $25.79 | $53,650 | $38,130 | $84,990 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Wisconsin profile | $25.39 | $52,810 | $32,280 | $85,320 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.73 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.88 | $51,760 | $21,580 | $95,910 | 670 | 0.11 | 0.79 |
| 33 | Minnesota profile | $24.72 | $51,420 | $34,320 | $115,420 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.73 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $24.48 | $50,910 | $26,100 | $65,620 | 110 | 0.22 | 1.56 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $31,540 | $79,170 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 36 | Rhode Island profile | $23.94 | $49,790 | $42,290 | $76,500 | 50 | 0.11 | 0.78 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $23.58 | $49,050 | $38,730 | $101,160 | 290 | 0.33 | 2.40 |
| 38 | Arkansas profile | $23.40 | $48,680 | $30,070 | $93,090 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.34 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $23.38 | $48,620 | $34,830 | $103,440 | 220 | 0.13 | 0.94 |
| 40 | Vermont profile | $22.29 | $46,350 | $36,810 | $119,660 | 130 | 0.43 | 3.08 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $22.20 | $46,180 | $28,080 | $65,120 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| 42 | New Hampshire profile | $22.06 | $45,880 | $33,180 | $70,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 43 | Hawaii profile | $21.27 | $44,230 | $30,880 | $76,600 | 90 | 0.15 | 1.06 |
| 44 | South Dakota profile | $21.23 | $44,160 | $28,880 | $77,180 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | $20.86 | $43,390 | $28,330 | $67,790 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 46 | Maine profile | $18.07 | $37,590 | $32,810 | $154,230 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.81 |
| – | Missouri profile | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
| – | New Jersey profile | * | * | * | * | 750 | 0.18 | 1.26 |
| – | Oregon profile | * | * | * | * | 280 | 0.14 | 1.02 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-4030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-4031 Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-4031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-4031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.