Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: Career Overview
Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.
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What Do Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Do?
The core tasks performed by camera operators, television, video, and film cover:
- Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
- Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
- Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
- Confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements.
- Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions.
- Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements.
- Set up and perform live shots for broadcast.
- Use cameras in any of several different camera mounts, such as stationary, track-mounted, or crane-mounted.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful camera operators, television, video, and film combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator)
- Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot)
- Advanced Air Mobility Technician (AAM Technician)
- Aerial Camera Operator
- Animation Camera Operator
- Camera Engineer
- Camera Operator
- Camera Person
Job Outlook
There are roughly 96,991 camera operators, television, video, and film working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $92,043 |
| Hourly median | $44.25 |
| 10th percentile | $66,468 |
| 25th percentile | $79,256 |
| 75th percentile | $104,831 |
| 90th percentile | $117,618 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $101,610 |
| District of Columbia | $100,940 |
| Oregon | $93,610 |
| New York | $89,960 |
| New Jersey | $85,560 |
| Illinois | $82,950 |
| Arizona | $74,830 |
| Colorado | $74,350 |
| Virginia | $71,760 |
| Maryland | $67,580 |
| Ohio | $67,040 |
| Texas | $64,430 |
| Connecticut | $63,950 |
| North Carolina | $62,130 |
| Georgia | $61,500 |
| Nevada | $61,020 |
| Florida | $61,020 |
| South Carolina | $59,690 |
| Louisiana | $58,860 |
| Missouri | $58,080 |
| Idaho | $56,880 |
| Indiana | $56,800 |
| Tennessee | $56,540 |
| Mississippi | $55,810 |
| Minnesota | $55,120 |
| Michigan | $54,910 |
| Washington | $53,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,830 |
| Massachusetts | $49,670 |
| New Hampshire | $48,780 |
| North Dakota | $48,460 |
| Vermont | $48,350 |
| Iowa | $48,110 |
| Wisconsin | $47,080 |
| Utah | $46,600 |
| Kansas | $46,490 |
| New Mexico | $46,420 |
| Kentucky | $46,110 |
| Oklahoma | $45,310 |
| Alabama | $45,180 |
| Hawaii | $41,850 |
| West Virginia | $39,470 |
| South Dakota | $39,470 |
| Nebraska | $39,070 |
| Maine | $36,040 |
| Montana | $35,080 |
| Arkansas | $32,510 |
Where Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Earn the Most
Earnings for camera operators, television, video, and film shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $93,571 | 28.7% | 1.79 |
| Middle Atlantic | $84,038 | 21.4% | 1.91 |
| Great Lakes | $67,114 | 9.6% | 0.71 |
| Southwest | $62,383 | 11.7% | 1.20 |
| Southeast | $59,936 | 17.0% | 0.85 |
| Rocky Mountains | $55,058 | 3.5% | 1.21 |
| New England | $51,977 | 3.8% | 0.95 |
| Plains States | $50,830 | 4.1% | 0.59 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $103,930 | 200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $102,310 | 3,790 |
| Tucson, AZ | AZ | $99,510 | 100 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $98,020 | 60 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $96,950 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $89,960 | 3,170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $88,760 | 760 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $85,610 | 80 |
Which Industries Hire Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Most camera operators, television, video, and film are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 14,840 | $78,650 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3,580 | $64,090 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,560 | $102,550 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,250 | $54,810 |
| Educational Services | 780 | $50,300 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 340 | $60,000 |
| Retail Trade | 260 | $54,130 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 250 | $65,980 |
Below are examples of industries where camera operators, television, video, and film work:
Software Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: TikTok (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for camera operators, television, video, and film reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How to Become Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and film positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Robotics Technicians (Supplemental)
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists (Supplemental)
- Remote Sensing Technicians (Supplemental)
- Producers and Directors (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future camera operators, television, video, and film typically earn programs in:
Visual and Performing Arts
2 programs across 1 majors
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-4031.00 (Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film).
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