Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 27-4031

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

The published band from $38,520 to $135,180 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Technical Writers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: Technical Writers ($90K) , Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners ($72K) , Writers and Authors ($77K) , Media and Communication Workers, All Other ($74K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 27-4031 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects s…
  2. 2. Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures
  3. 3. Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing
  4. 4. Instruct camera operators regarding camera setups, angles, distances, movement, and variables and cues for starting and stopping filming
  5. 5. Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting
  6. 6. Confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming…
  7. 7. Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions
  8. 8. Observe sets or locations for potential problems and to determine filming and lighting requirements
  9. 9. Assemble studio sets and select and arrange cameras, film stock, audio, or lighting equipment to be used during filming
  10. 10. Read and analyze work orders and specifications to determine locations of subject material, work procedures, sequences of operations, and…
  11. 11. Set up and perform live shots for broadcast
  12. 12. Use cameras in any of several different camera mounts, such as stationary, track-mounted, or crane-mounted

O*NET skills and knowledge for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 27-4031 - entity-keyed; sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Active Listening 3.8
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.3
  3. 3. Speaking 3.3
  4. 4. Coordination 3.3
  5. 5. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.1
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.1
  8. 8. Social Perceptiveness 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. English Language 4.3
  2. 2. Computers and Electronics 4.0
  3. 3. Communications and Media 3.8
  4. 4. Telecommunications 3.8
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 2.9
  6. 6. Public Safety and Security 2.8
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$38,520 to $135,180
median $74,990 · ~3.5× spread
$75K
National median
↑ +1%
Growth 2024-2034
2,900
Annual openings
21,550
Estimated US jobs
Technical Writers
Highest-pay peer · $90K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

1. California $106,900
2. Colorado $74,990
3. District of Columbia $98,300
4. Alaska $83,620
5. Utah $73,450
6. New York $93,410
7. Maryland $65,870
8. Arizona $68,250
9. Georgia $85,050
10. Illinois $100,170

Other Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations titles

  1. 1. Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $72,420
  2. 2. Writers and Authors $76,910
  3. 3. Technical Writers $90,390
  4. 4. Media and Communication Workers, All Other $73,620
  5. 5. Film and Video Editors $75,420
  6. 6. Set and Exhibit Designers $75,240

The OEWS band for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film runs from $38,520 (10th) to $135,180 (90th), about 3.5× wide, with median $74,990. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect +1% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 2,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: California at $106,900. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Technical Writers at $90,390. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

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Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034.

Dive into Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in California

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in Colorado

Second-highest state pay

Technical Writers

Highest-pay peer · $90K

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

Lower-pay peer · $72K

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Highest-Paying Rankings

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Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

What do camera operators, television, video, and film do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film. Leading ones include: Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects s…; Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures; Edit video for broadcast productions, including non-linear editing; Instruct camera operators regarding camera setups, angles, distances, movement, and variables and cues for starting and stopping filming. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for camera operators, television, video, and film? ▼
For SOC 27-4031, O*NET importance scores lead with Active Listening (3.8), Reading Comprehension (3.3), Speaking (3.3), Coordination (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize English Language, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How does Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film sit next to other Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Technical Writers, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners, Writers and Authors, Media and Communication Workers, All Other. Among those peers, Technical Writers holds the highest published national median ($90,390). Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners sits lower at $72,420. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film? ▼
The median salary for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is $74,990 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $38,520 (10th percentile) to $135,180 (90th percentile). For context beside Technical Writers ($90,390), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects +1% employment change for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 2,900 projected annual openings. This is about as fast as average relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a camera operators, television, video, and film? ▼
BLS assigns Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay camera operators, television, video, and film the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film are California ($106,900), Colorado ($74,990), District of Columbia ($98,300). The table does not identify why state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau