Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film earn an average annual salary of $101,783, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

5,520
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$101,783
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film workforce.

Employment Over Time

5,520 Workforce in 2023

The Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$101,783 Average Wage

In 2023, Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film earned an average of $101,783.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Salary distribution for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Employment Growth Projections

1.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

22,553 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 6.3%

23,970 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 13.0%

This occupation is projected to grow at 1.2% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Wage Trends by Industry

10.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 5,090 employees, $102,816 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 3,670 employees, $110,067 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 600 employees, $96,663 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 180 employees, $63,387 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 140 employees, $102,984 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 130 employees, $56,094 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 120 employees, $77,589 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 90 employees, $70,865 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 70 employees, $82,719 avg wage
  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 40 employees, $88,224 avg wage
  • Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 20 employees, $64,527 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Diversity

Demographic information on Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film in 2023 was 5,520 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film in 2023 were Engineering, Business, Social Sciences.

Common majors for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film workers.

Education level distribution for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Skills

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Coordination, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension.

Required skills for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film include English Language, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology.

Knowledge areas required for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film include Near Vision, Visualization, Far Vision, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity.

Required abilities for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

Daily Activities

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film spend their time on activities such as Thinking Creatively, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.

Most important work activities for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

About

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

The average yearly wage for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film was $101,783 in 2023.

SOC Code

27-4031 - Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film reports an average salary of $101,783, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 5,520 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 1.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.