The average wage for a camera operator in the United States is around $25.51 per hour.
Avg Wage
Camera operators earn an average hourly wage of $25.51.
Salaries typically start from $12.28 per hour and go up to $52.98 per hour.
6% below national average Updated in 2019
Camera operator earnings by seniority
Top-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$52.98 per hour
$110,202 per year
Senior-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$37.48 per hour
$77,955 per year
Mid-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$25.51 per hour
$53,063 per year
Junior-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$17.37 per hour
$36,120 per year
Starting level camera operator earnings begin at:
$12.28 per hour
$25,550 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 8% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than urban planners but more than interior designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Urban planner salary | $74K |
| Fashion designer salary | $69K |
| Architect salary | $68K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
| Television writer salary | $62K |
| Camera operator salary | $53K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $55K |
| Illustrator salary | $48K |
| Film and video editor salary | $53K |
| Interior designer salary | $53K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)