Camera operator earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level camera operator earnings begin at:

$42.31 per hour

$87,998 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level camera operator earnings begin at:

$33.05 per hour

$68,750 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level camera operator earnings begin at:

$25.12 per hour

$52,259 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level camera operator earnings begin at:

$19.10 per hour

$39,724 per year

10th percentile

Starting level camera operator earnings begin at:

$14.92 per hour

$31,035 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Camera operator salary by state

State Name Average Salary
District of Columbia $81,420
New York $80,570
Oregon $69,200
California $67,510
New Mexico $65,180
Washington $64,440
Arkansas $63,420
New Jersey $61,990
Hawaii $59,780
Georgia $59,110
Texas $57,360
Ohio $55,870
Virginia $55,190
Colorado $54,290
Maryland $54,120
Michigan $53,120
Utah $52,440
Arizona $52,259
Mississippi $50,890
North Carolina $50,890
Florida $50,420
Nevada $49,770
Alabama $48,350
Tennessee $48,290
Wyoming $47,590
Missouri $47,280
Pennsylvania $46,350
Illinois $44,589
Kansas $44,510
Puerto Rico $43,650
Wisconsin $42,550
Louisiana $41,250
North Dakota $41,120
Minnesota $40,900
Connecticut $39,630
West Virginia $39,120
Indiana $38,729
Oklahoma $38,350
Massachusetts $38,110
Kentucky $37,402
Vermont $36,950
Iowa $36,690
Maine $35,950
Montana $32,480
Nebraska $30,720
South Carolina $29,510
South Dakota $28,830
New Hampshire $27,450
Guam $22,150

How do camera operator salaries compare to similar careers?

Camera operators earn about the same as related careers in Arizona. On average, they make less than television writers but more than producers.

Career Median Salary
Television writer salary $54K
Multimedia animator salary $63K
Film director salary $51K
Court reporter salary $61K
Talent agent salary $38K
Camera operator salary $52K
Film and video editor salary $50K
Talent director salary $51K
Illustrator salary $46K
Producer salary $50K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)