The average salary for a camera operator in District of Columbia is around $98,300 per year.
Avg Salary
Camera operators earn an average yearly salary of $98,300.
Wages typically start from $62,450 and go up to $134,450.
11% above national average Updated in 2025
Camera operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$64.64 per hour
$134,450 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$59.36 per hour
$123,470 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$47.26 per hour
$98,300 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level camera operator earnings begin at:
$39.57 per hour
$82,300 per year
10th percentile
Starting level camera operator earnings begin at:
$30.02 per hour
$62,450 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Camera operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98,300 |
| New York | $93,410 |
| Georgia | $85,050 |
| Alaska | $83,620 |
| Colorado | $74,990 |
| Utah | $73,450 |
| Oregon | $69,200 |
| Arizona | $68,250 |
| Maryland | $65,870 |
| Connecticut | $65,630 |
| Ohio | $64,860 |
| Texas | $63,110 |
| North Carolina | $62,720 |
| Florida | $62,220 |
| Nevada | $62,110 |
| New Jersey | $61,990 |
| Alabama | $61,800 |
| Massachusetts | $61,320 |
| Kansas | $60,690 |
| Washington | $60,250 |
| Louisiana | $58,440 |
| Virginia | $58,440 |
| Idaho | $58,140 |
| South Carolina | $57,940 |
| Iowa | $57,220 |
| Tennessee | $57,030 |
| Indiana | $56,810 |
| Michigan | $55,290 |
| Kentucky | $53,790 |
| North Dakota | $53,650 |
| Wisconsin | $52,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,760 |
| Minnesota | $51,420 |
| Montana | $50,910 |
| Mississippi | $49,920 |
| Rhode Island | $49,790 |
| New Mexico | $49,050 |
| Arkansas | $48,680 |
| Oklahoma | $48,620 |
| Wyoming | $47,590 |
| Missouri | $47,280 |
| Vermont | $46,350 |
| Nebraska | $46,180 |
| New Hampshire | $45,880 |
| Hawaii | $44,230 |
| South Dakota | $44,160 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,650 |
| West Virginia | $43,390 |
| Maine | $37,590 |
| Guam | $22,150 |
| California | $106,900 |
| Illinois | $100,170 |
How do camera operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Camera operators earn about the same as related careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than filmmakers but more than exhibit designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Filmmaker salary | $104K |
| Producer salary | $104K |
| Architect salary | $102K |
| Photographer salary | $111K |
| Interior designer salary | $98K |
| Camera operator salary | $98K |
| Film and video editor salary | $99K |
| Graphic designer salary | $88K |
| Make-Up artist salary | $96K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $77K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)