Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for camera operators, television, video, and film is $74,990, or $36.05 per hour. About 21,550 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $106,900 in California to $37,590 in Maine.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 46 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $106,900 | $51.39 | 4,700 | 1.86 |
| 2 | Illinois | $100,170 | $48.16 | 1,060 | 1.25 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $98,300 | $47.26 | 240 | 2.51 |
| 4 | New York | $93,410 | $44.91 | 2,930 | 2.19 |
| 5 | Georgia | $85,050 | $40.89 | 570 | 0.84 |
| 6 | Alaska | $83,620 | $40.20 | 50 | 1.01 |
| 7 | Colorado | $74,990 | $36.05 | 300 | 0.76 |
| 8 | Utah | $73,450 | $35.31 | 240 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Arizona | $68,250 | $32.81 | 520 | 1.17 |
| 10 | Maryland | $65,870 | $31.67 | 290 | 0.77 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $65,630 | $31.55 | 170 | 0.72 |
| 12 | Ohio | $64,860 | $31.18 | 520 | 0.68 |
| 13 | Texas | $63,110 | $30.34 | 1,100 | 0.57 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $62,720 | $30.15 | 380 | 0.55 |
| 15 | Florida | $62,220 | $29.91 | 970 | 0.71 |
| 16 | Nevada | $62,110 | $29.86 | 320 | 1.49 |
| 17 | Alabama | $61,800 | $29.71 | 220 | 0.75 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $61,320 | $29.48 | 370 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Kansas | $60,690 | $29.18 | 110 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Washington | $60,250 | $28.97 | 440 | 0.90 |
| 21 | Virginia | $58,440 | $28.10 | 420 | 0.74 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $58,440 | $28.10 | 270 | 1.00 |
| 23 | Idaho | $58,140 | $27.95 | 120 | 1.01 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $57,940 | $27.86 | 40 | 0.11 |
| 25 | Iowa | $57,220 | $27.51 | 90 | 0.43 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $57,030 | $27.42 | 460 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Indiana | $56,810 | $27.31 | 200 | 0.46 |
| 28 | Michigan | $55,290 | $26.58 | 380 | 0.62 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $53,790 | $25.86 | 170 | 0.63 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $53,650 | $25.79 | 40 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $52,810 | $25.39 | 300 | 0.73 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $51,760 | $24.88 | 670 | 0.79 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $51,420 | $24.72 | 300 | 0.73 |
| 34 | Montana | $50,910 | $24.48 | 110 | 1.56 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $49,920 | $24.00 | 60 | 0.37 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $49,790 | $23.94 | 50 | 0.78 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $49,050 | $23.58 | 290 | 2.40 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $48,680 | $23.40 | 60 | 0.34 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $48,620 | $23.38 | 220 | 0.94 |
| 40 | Vermont | $46,350 | $22.29 | 130 | 3.08 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $46,180 | $22.20 | 100 | 0.68 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $45,880 | $22.06 | — | — |
| 43 | Hawaii | $44,230 | $21.27 | 90 | 1.06 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $44,160 | $21.23 | 50 | 0.75 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $43,390 | $20.86 | 60 | 0.57 |
| 46 | Maine | $37,590 | $18.07 | 70 | 0.81 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do camera operators, television, video, and film make?
The median annual wage for camera operators, television, video, and film in the United States is $74,990, or $36.05 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $38,520, and the top 10% earn $135,180.
How many camera operators, television, video, and film are employed in the U.S.?
About 21,550 people work as camera operators, television, video, and film nationwide.
Which state pays camera operators, television, video, and film the most?
California pays the most at a median of $106,900, followed by Illinois ($100,170) and District of Columbia ($98,300).
Which state pays camera operators, television, video, and film the least?
Maine has the lowest median at $37,590.
Where are camera operators, television, video, and film jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Vermont at 3.08×.