Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
27-4031 Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.
National estimates for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Industry profile for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Geographic profile for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
National estimates for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 23,940 |
4.9 % |
$ 34.56 |
$ 71,890 |
1.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 16.55 |
$ 21.15 |
$ 29.71 |
$ 45.13 |
$ 58.05 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 34,420 |
$ 44,000 |
$ 61,800 |
$ 93,870 |
$ 120,740 |
Industry profile for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries |
9,540 |
2.36 |
$ 40.42 |
$ 84,070 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers |
3,520 |
1.51 |
$ 32.17 |
$ 66,900 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations |
1,750 |
1.44 |
$ 24.18 |
$ 50,290 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
1,010 |
0.12 |
$ 22.87 |
$ 47,570 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services |
730 |
0.15 |
$ 29.00 |
$ 60,320 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries |
9,540 |
2.36 |
$ 40.42 |
$ 84,070 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers |
3,520 |
1.51 |
$ 32.17 |
$ 66,900 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations |
1,750 |
1.44 |
$ 24.18 |
$ 50,290 |
| Spectator Sports |
620 |
0.42 |
$ 27.06 |
$ 56,280 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers |
460 |
0.16 |
$ 33.37 |
$ 69,410 |
Top paying industries for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Employment Services |
540 |
0.01 |
$ 50.00 |
$ 103,990 |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 45.65 |
$ 94,950 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
70 |
0.01 |
$ 45.58 |
$ 94,810 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services |
470 |
0.04 |
$ 44.88 |
$ 93,350 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
360 |
0.02 |
$ 42.21 |
$ 87,800 |
Geographic profile for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
5,900 |
0.33 |
2.09 |
$ 39.06 |
$ 81,230 |
| New York |
3,260 |
0.35 |
2.20 |
$ 44.02 |
$ 91,570 |
| Texas |
1,490 |
0.11 |
0.70 |
$ 33.93 |
$ 70,580 |
| Florida |
1,250 |
0.13 |
0.83 |
$ 28.63 |
$ 59,560 |
| Massachusetts |
800 |
0.22 |
1.40 |
$ 28.46 |
$ 59,200 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
380 |
0.54 |
3.41 |
$ 41.05 |
$ 85,390 |
| Vermont |
120 |
0.39 |
2.45 |
$ 25.20 |
$ 52,420 |
| Montana |
190 |
0.37 |
2.35 |
$ 20.69 |
$ 43,030 |
| New York |
3,260 |
0.35 |
2.20 |
$ 44.02 |
$ 91,570 |
| California |
5,900 |
0.33 |
2.09 |
$ 39.06 |
$ 81,230 |
Top paying states for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York |
3,260 |
0.35 |
2.20 |
$ 44.02 |
$ 91,570 |
| New Jersey |
750 |
0.18 |
1.13 |
$ 42.27 |
$ 87,930 |
| District of Columbia |
380 |
0.54 |
3.41 |
$ 41.05 |
$ 85,390 |
| California |
5,900 |
0.33 |
2.09 |
$ 39.06 |
$ 81,230 |
| Arizona |
510 |
0.16 |
1.03 |
$ 38.75 |
$ 80,610 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
4,380 |
0.71 |
4.49 |
$ 39.74 |
$ 82,670 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
3,390 |
0.36 |
2.26 |
$ 44.83 |
$ 93,240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
690 |
0.25 |
1.59 |
$ 28.24 |
$ 58,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
590 |
0.19 |
1.21 |
$ 38.89 |
$ 80,880 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
550 |
0.23 |
1.45 |
$ 44.73 |
$ 93,040 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
540 |
0.20 |
1.25 |
$ 30.99 |
$ 64,460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
510 |
0.24 |
1.54 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
450 |
0.11 |
0.72 |
$ 35.17 |
$ 73,150 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
380 |
0.17 |
1.05 |
$ 36.38 |
$ 75,670 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
330 |
0.10 |
0.66 |
$ 32.39 |
$ 67,380 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Missoula, MT |
70 |
1.03 |
6.52 |
$ 18.62 |
$ 38,720 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
4,380 |
0.71 |
4.49 |
$ 39.74 |
$ 82,670 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT |
60 |
0.50 |
3.18 |
$ 24.70 |
$ 51,370 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA |
190 |
0.36 |
2.29 |
$ 32.38 |
$ 67,340 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
3,390 |
0.36 |
2.26 |
$ 44.83 |
$ 93,240 |
| Albuquerque, NM |
120 |
0.29 |
1.86 |
$ 23.15 |
$ 48,150 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME |
60 |
0.27 |
1.72 |
$ 24.62 |
$ 51,210 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI |
120 |
0.27 |
1.72 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Provo-Orem, UT |
80 |
0.27 |
1.70 |
$ 22.70 |
$ 47,220 |
| Trenton, NJ |
60 |
0.25 |
1.60 |
(8) |
(8) |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
3,390 |
0.36 |
2.26 |
$ 44.83 |
$ 93,240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
550 |
0.23 |
1.45 |
$ 44.73 |
$ 93,040 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
190 |
0.16 |
1.00 |
$ 43.47 |
$ 90,430 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA |
30 |
0.17 |
1.08 |
$ 42.85 |
$ 89,140 |
| Tucson, AZ |
60 |
0.15 |
0.98 |
$ 42.70 |
$ 88,820 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
280 |
0.10 |
0.62 |
$ 41.41 |
$ 86,130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
4,380 |
0.71 |
4.49 |
$ 39.74 |
$ 82,670 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
590 |
0.19 |
1.21 |
$ 38.89 |
$ 80,880 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
60 |
0.05 |
0.35 |
$ 37.80 |
$ 78,610 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
250 |
0.16 |
0.98 |
$ 37.47 |
$ 77,930 |
About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024
United States Department of Labor
