Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for camera operators, television, video, and films across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $83,210 ≈ $40/hr
National median salary $74,990
Total employment 21,550 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.2%
Slower than average
Annual openings 2,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 36,400 → 36,900 (+400)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$106,350
- District of Columbia$100,990
- New York$99,080
- Georgia$97,600
- Illinois$96,520
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Montana$47,260
- Nebraska$47,990
- Hawaii$48,830
- West Virginia$50,280
- South Dakota$50,620
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $106,350 | $106,900 | $51 | +27.8% | 4,700 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $100,990 | $98,300 | $49 | +21.4% | 240 |
| 3 | New York | $99,080 | $93,410 | $48 | +19.1% | 2,930 |
| 4 | Georgia | $97,600 | $85,050 | $47 | +17.3% | 570 |
| 5 | Illinois | $96,520 | $100,170 | $46 | +16% | 1,060 |
| 6 | Arizona | $94,680 | $68,250 | $46 | +13.8% | 520 |
| 7 | Colorado | $81,310 | $74,990 | $39 | -2.3% | 300 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $79,290 | $61,320 | $38 | -4.7% | 370 |
| 9 | Utah | $75,460 | $73,450 | $36 | -9.3% | 240 |
| 10 | Washington | $73,900 | $60,250 | $36 | -11.2% | 440 |
| 11 | Florida | $71,320 | $62,220 | $34 | -14.3% | 970 |
| 12 | Maryland | $70,570 | $65,870 | $34 | -15.2% | 290 |
| 13 | Alaska | $69,770 | $83,620 | $34 | -16.2% | 50 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $68,820 | $62,720 | $33 | -17.3% | 380 |
| 15 | Ohio | $68,690 | $64,860 | $33 | -17.4% | 520 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $67,680 | $65,630 | $33 | -18.7% | 170 |
| 17 | Nevada | $67,540 | $62,110 | $32 | -18.8% | 320 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $67,350 | $57,030 | $32 | -19.1% | 460 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $66,800 | $51,420 | $32 | -19.7% | 300 |
| 20 | Texas | $66,720 | $63,110 | $32 | -19.8% | 1,100 |
| 21 | Virginia | $66,460 | $58,440 | $32 | -20.1% | 420 |
| 22 | Vermont | $64,740 | $46,350 | $31 | -22.2% | 130 |
| 23 | Kansas | $63,870 | $60,690 | $31 | -23.2% | 110 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $61,710 | $58,440 | $30 | -25.8% | 270 |
| 25 | Idaho | $60,460 | $58,140 | $29 | -27.3% | 120 |
| 26 | Alabama | $59,130 | $61,800 | $28 | -28.9% | 220 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $58,850 | $57,940 | $28 | -29.3% | 40 |
| 28 | Michigan | $58,780 | $55,290 | $28 | -29.4% | 380 |
| 29 | Maine | $58,270 | $37,590 | $28 | -30% | 70 |
| 30 | Iowa | $58,250 | $57,220 | $28 | -30% | 90 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $57,800 | $48,620 | $28 | -30.5% | 220 |
| 32 | Indiana | $57,550 | $56,810 | $28 | -30.8% | 200 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $57,300 | $49,050 | $28 | -31.1% | 290 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $56,930 | $53,650 | $27 | -31.6% | 40 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $55,880 | $49,790 | $27 | -32.8% | 50 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $55,880 | $52,810 | $27 | -32.8% | 300 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $55,740 | $48,680 | $27 | -33% | 60 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $55,460 | $53,790 | $27 | -33.3% | 170 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $55,450 | $49,920 | $27 | -33.4% | 60 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $53,660 | $51,760 | $26 | -35.5% | 670 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $51,780 | $45,880 | $25 | -37.8% | — |
| 42 | South Dakota | $50,620 | $44,160 | $24 | -39.2% | 50 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $50,280 | $43,390 | $24 | -39.6% | 60 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $48,830 | $44,230 | $23 | -41.3% | 90 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $47,990 | $46,180 | $23 | -42.3% | 100 |
| 46 | Montana | $47,260 | $50,910 | $23 | -43.2% | 110 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 78 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $107,620 | $109,940 | 3,540 |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,370 | $95,720 | 740 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $98,500 | $103,230 | 280 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $93,410 | $95,180 | 3,000 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,870 | $80,940 | 50 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $83,620 | $71,010 | 40 |
| 7 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,320 | $88,700 | 500 |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $80,380 | $77,890 | 190 |
| 9 | Fresno, CA | $80,030 | $84,910 | 40 |
| 10 | Rochester, NY | $76,700 | $94,650 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing camera operators, television, video, and films (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $112,230 | $111,890 | 50 |
| 2 | Employment Services | $110,570 | $123,950 | 1,440 |
| 3 | Temporary Help Services | $108,540 | $117,280 | 1,190 |
| 4 | Administrative and Support Services | $107,270 | $113,760 | 1,710 |
| 5 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $107,270 | $113,140 | 1,740 |
| 6 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $104,480 | $109,620 | 50 |
| 7 | Rental and Leasing Services | $104,350 | $108,340 | — |
| 8 | Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | $104,350 | $108,340 | — |
| 9 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $98,690 | $94,960 | — |
| 10 | Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $93,940 | $95,920 | 7,600 |
| 11 | Motion Picture and Video Industries | $93,940 | $96,070 | 7,580 |
| 12 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $91,340 | $96,450 | 920 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do camera operators, television, video, and film make in the U.S.?
The median camera operators, television, video, and film salary in the United States is $74,990 per year (mean $83,210), and about 80% earn between $38,520 and $135,180.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and film make per hour?
Roughly $40 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $83,210 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays camera operators, television, video, and film the most?
California has the highest average pay for camera operators, television, video, and film at $106,350 per year (median $106,900).
What is the job outlook for camera operators, television, video, and film?
Employment is projected to change +1.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,900 openings per year.
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