Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary by City

Top 15 cities for this job by average salary

Los Angeles, CA	$109,940
San Francisco, CA	$103,230
Atlanta, GA	$96,860
Chicago, IL	$95,720
Phoenix, AZ	$95,470
New York, NY	$95,180
Rochester, NY	$94,650
Washington, DC	$88,700
Fresno, CA	$84,910
Denver, CO	$82,660
Santa Maria, CA	$81,290
Sacramento, CA	$80,940
St. Louis, MO	$80,470
Salt Lake City, UT	$78,890
Boston, MA	$78,470

Average annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025.

Map: Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by metro area

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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by state

California pays camera operators, television, video, and film the most statewide, $106,350 a year on average. Statewide columns cover every employer in the state; city columns cover the metro areas we publish.

State	Statewide average	Statewide median	Jobs	Metros	Highest city average	Lowest city average
California	$106,350	$106,900	4,700	6	$109,940	$62,930
Washington, D.C.	$100,990	$98,300	240	1	$88,700	$88,700
New York	$99,080	$93,410	2,930	3	$95,180	$62,220
Georgia	$97,600	$85,050	570	1	$96,860	$96,860
Illinois	$96,520	$100,170	1,060	1	$95,720	$95,720
Arizona	$94,680	$68,250	520	1	$95,470	$95,470
Colorado	$81,310	$74,990	300	1	$82,660	$82,660
Missouri	n/a	n/a	170	2	$80,470	$64,110
Massachusetts	$79,290	$61,320	370	2	$78,470	$74,070
Utah	$75,460	$73,450	240	1	$78,890	$78,890
Washington	$73,900	$60,250	440	2	$75,590	$50,830
Florida	$71,320	$62,220	970	4	$78,300	$69,340
Maryland	$70,570	$65,870	290	1	$75,610	$75,610
Alaska	$69,770	$83,620	50	1	$71,010	$71,010
North Carolina	$68,820	$62,720	380	2	$69,740	$69,060
Ohio	$68,690	$64,860	520	3	$71,680	$57,220
Connecticut	$67,680	$65,630	170	2	$74,760	$59,440
Nevada	$67,540	$62,110	320	1	$67,950	$67,950
Tennessee	$67,350	$57,030	460	3	$76,840	$53,030
Minnesota	$66,800	$51,420	300	1	$77,890	$77,890
Texas	$66,720	$63,110	1,100	4	$75,370	$64,130
Virginia	$66,460	$58,440	420	2	$59,130	$55,470
Vermont	$64,740	$46,350	130	1	$58,680	$58,680
Kansas	$63,870	$60,690	110	0	n/a	n/a
Louisiana	$61,710	$58,440	270	2	$66,860	$60,920
Idaho	$60,460	$58,140	120	1	$61,400	$61,400
Alabama	$59,130	$61,800	220	2	$62,610	$57,930
South Carolina	$58,850	$57,940	40	0	n/a	n/a
Michigan	$58,780	$55,290	380	2	$61,610	$60,280
Maine	$58,270	$37,590	70	1	$56,850	$56,850
Iowa	$58,250	$57,220	90	0	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	$57,800	$48,620	220	1	$51,890	$51,890
Indiana	$57,550	$56,810	200	1	$59,710	$59,710
New Mexico	$57,300	$49,050	290	1	$54,140	$54,140
North Dakota	$56,930	$53,650	40	0	n/a	n/a
Rhode Island	$55,880	$49,790	50	1	$54,440	$54,440
Wisconsin	$55,880	$52,810	300	2	$61,240	$52,870
Arkansas	$55,740	$48,680	60	1	$55,430	$55,430
Kentucky	$55,460	$53,790	170	2	$56,020	$53,170
Mississippi	$55,450	$49,920	60	0	n/a	n/a
Pennsylvania	$53,660	$51,760	670	4	$55,880	$44,570
New Hampshire	$51,780	$45,880	n/a	0	n/a	n/a
South Dakota	$50,620	$44,160	50	0	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	$50,280	$43,390	60	0	n/a	n/a
Hawaii	$48,830	$44,230	90	1	$48,050	$48,050
Nebraska	$47,990	$46,180	100	1	$55,450	$55,450
Montana	$47,260	$50,910	110	1	$53,160	$53,160
Puerto Rico	$38,440	$38,380	150	1	$38,410	$38,410

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary in every city we cover

Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.

Metro area	Average	Median	Hourly	Jobs
Los Angeles, CA	$109,940	$107,620	$52.86	3,540
San Francisco, CA	$103,230	$98,500	$49.63	280
Atlanta, GA	$96,860	$76,250	$46.57	360
Chicago, IL	$95,720	$102,370	$46.02	740
Phoenix, AZ	$95,470	$71,080	$45.90	350
New York, NY	$95,180	$93,410	$45.76	3,000
Rochester, NY	$94,650	$76,700	$45.51	50
Washington, DC	$88,700	$83,320	$42.65	500
Fresno, CA	$84,910	$80,030	$40.82	40
Denver, CO	$82,660	$74,990	$39.74	220
Santa Maria, CA	$81,290	$71,390	$39.08	50
Sacramento, CA	$80,940	$84,870	$38.91	50
St. Louis, MO	$80,470	$71,360	$38.69	70
Salt Lake City, UT	$78,890	$73,710	$37.93	140
Boston, MA	$78,470	$62,810	$37.73	210
Jacksonville, FL	$78,300	$65,640	$37.64	60
Minneapolis, MN	$77,890	$80,380	$37.45	190
Nashville, TN	$76,840	$60,800	$36.94	250
Baltimore, MD	$75,610	$65,870	$36.35	150
Seattle, WA	$75,590	$61,820	$36.34	320
Austin, TX	$75,370	$74,710	$36.23	210
Bridgeport, CT	$74,760	$67,560	$35.94	40
Worcester, MA	$74,070	$59,760	$35.61	30
Orlando, FL	$73,980	$65,130	$35.57	110
Columbus, OH	$71,680	$72,540	$34.46	120
Anchorage, AK	$71,010	$83,620	$34.14	40
Tampa, FL	$70,830	$63,230	$34.05	130
Cincinnati, OH	$69,850	$63,970	$33.58	90
Raleigh, NC	$69,740	$62,720	$33.53	120
San Antonio, TX	$69,660	$64,490	$33.49	60
Miami, FL	$69,340	$62,220	$33.34	330
Charlotte, NC	$69,060	$63,990	$33.20	n/a
Las Vegas, NV	$67,950	$62,110	$32.67	290
Dallas, TX	$67,780	$64,380	$32.59	290
New Orleans, LA	$66,860	$61,500	$32.14	130
Houston, TX	$64,130	$62,870	$30.83	220
Kansas City, MO	$64,110	$61,150	$30.82	90
San Diego, CA	$62,930	$56,580	$30.25	150
Huntsville, AL	$62,610	$65,530	$30.10	n/a
Albany, NY	$62,220	$56,710	$29.91	60
Detroit, MI	$61,610	$57,690	$29.62	170
Boise, ID	$61,400	$58,140	$29.52	90
Milwaukee, WI	$61,240	$52,920	$29.44	130
Baton Rouge, LA	$60,920	$60,320	$29.29	50
Grand Rapids, MI	$60,280	$63,720	$28.98	60
Indianapolis, IN	$59,710	$58,480	$28.71	80
Hartford, CT	$59,440	$52,720	$28.58	50
Richmond, VA	$59,130	$55,120	$28.43	50
Burlington, VT	$58,680	$46,350	$28.21	80
Birmingham, AL	$57,930	$64,730	$27.85	50
Knoxville, TN	$57,470	$53,180	$27.63	70
Cleveland, OH	$57,220	$54,990	$27.51	60
Portland, ME	$56,850	$57,840	$27.33	30
Lexington, KY	$56,020	$52,580	$26.94	40
Philadelphia, PA	$55,880	$52,040	$26.86	300
Virginia Beach, VA	$55,470	$45,820	$26.67	90
Omaha, NE	$55,450	$49,680	$26.66	50
Little Rock, AR	$55,430	$48,680	$26.65	30
Allentown, PA	$54,640	$54,690	$26.27	70
Providence, RI	$54,440	$48,770	$26.17	60
Albuquerque, NM	$54,140	$50,860	$26.03	100
Louisville, KY	$53,170	$50,550	$25.56	60
Bozeman, MT	$53,160	$50,910	$25.56	n/a
Memphis, TN	$53,030	$48,680	$25.49	50
Madison, WI	$52,870	$50,680	$25.42	80
Oklahoma City, OK	$51,890	$46,080	$24.95	100
Spokane, WA	$50,830	$36,230	$24.44	50
Honolulu, HI	$48,050	$44,230	$23.10	90
Harrisburg, PA	$45,410	$40,030	$21.83	60
Pittsburgh, PA	$44,570	$38,630	$21.43	130
San Juan, PR	$38,410	$38,400	$18.47	110

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Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary: questions

Where do camera operators, television, video, and film make the most money?

In Los Angeles, CA, with an average of $109,940 a year, among the 71 metro areas we cover.

What is the average camera operators, television, video, and film salary in the U.S.?

$83,210 a year nationwide (BLS OEWS national estimates, May 2025); the median is $74,990, so half of camera operators, television, video, and film earn more than that and half less.

What salary should camera operators, television, video, and film ask for?

Start from the figures for your city: the middle half of camera operators, television, video, and film nationwide earn between $50,920 (25th percentile) and $106,660 (75th percentile). Newer workers usually start near the 25th percentile and experienced ones can ask for the 75th; each city page shows the local range. See how to read salary percentiles.

Which state pays camera operators, television, video, and film the most?

California, with a statewide average of $106,350 a year (BLS state estimates, May 2025).

Where is camera operators, television, video, and film pay the lowest?

San Juan, PR, at $38,410 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.

Sources and how to read this page

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-4031.
U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.