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Camera Operator

$68,810
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Operate cameras to capture scenes for films, television shows, and live broadcasts.

Where you work

Sets, studios, and on-location shoots

The hours

Irregular, project-based, travel common

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$68,810
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+1%
Little change
Working in the U.S.
36,400
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + portfolio.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

Camera operationFramingLightingTeamwork

The honest take

Runs the cameras that capture film and television, project-based work with irregular hours.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-4031. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.