Camera Operators earn $74,990 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $50,920 and $106,660. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a camera operators: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Film & Video Production and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.
Also known as:
Most camera operators take home around $74,990 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $50,920 and $106,660, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
Above the national median for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +1.3%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 2,500 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
Slower than average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
The five states below employ the most Camera Operators professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $74,990 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,700 | $106,900 | +42.6% |
| 2 | New York | 2,930 | $93,410 | +24.6% |
| 3 | Texas | 1,100 | $63,110 | -15.8% |
| 4 | Illinois | 1,060 | $100,170 | +33.6% |
| 5 | Florida | 970 | $62,220 | -17.0% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 2 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is an Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Film & Video Production | 18,531 | $43,765 | 678 |
| 2 | Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | 6,764 | $44,889 | 339 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 4 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 92 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
Once you've sized up Camera Operators, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Camera Operators pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Camera Operators shows 2 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
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