The average salary for a cinematographer in the United States is around $40,099 per year.
Avg Salary
Cinematographers earn an average yearly salary of $40,099.
Wages typically start from $28,745 and go up to $106,547.
6% below national average Updated in 2018
Cinematographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$51.22 per hour
$106,547 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$28.55 per hour
$59,390 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$19.28 per hour
$40,099 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$15.27 per hour
$31,756 per year
10th percentile
Starting level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$13.82 per hour
$28,745 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
How do cinematographer salaries compare to similar careers?
Cinematographers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than television writers but more than sports broadcasters.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Television writer salary | $62K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
| Film and video editor salary | $60K |
| Tattoo artist salary | $39K |
| Calligrapher salary | $65K |
| Cinematographer salary | $40K |
| Illustrator salary | $49K |
| Court reporter salary | $57K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $54K |
| Sports broadcaster salary | $40K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)