Technology Electronics

Television Camera Operator Salary

By Technology Last updated Saturday, May/25/2024

Overall

Camera operators in the industry segment of television broadcasting earned an average of $20.05 per hour or $41,700 per year as of May 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That average was nearly 14 percent below the nationwide average for camera operators overall, which was $23.29 per hour or $48,450 per year. The wages for camera operators in television broadcasting ranged from $9.15 per hour or $19,030 per year at the 10th percentile to $35.03 per hour or $72,870 per year at the 90th percentile.

Camera operators in the motion picture and video industry made an average of $25.18 per hour or $52,380 per year as of May 2010, states the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At that rate, television camera operators earned around 20 percent less than their peers in the motion picture and video industry. In the industry sector designated by the bureau as other information services, which includes Internet broadcasting, camera operators received an average of $23.18 per hour or $48,220 per year, roughly 16 percent more than the mean rate of pay earned by television camera operators.

The highest wages for camera operators were enjoyed by federal government employees, who earned $31.65 per hour or $65,840 per year as of May 2010, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wages for broadcast television camera operators were nearly 37 percent less than those earned by their federally-employed peers. Video camera operators employed by local governments made an average of $17.60 per hour or $36,610 per year, approximately 12 percent less than television camera operators.

Camera operators were the lowest-paid technical workers in the television industry as of May 2010, explains the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salaries for camera operators were 25 percent below the highest-paying technical field, film editing, which paid an average of $26.45 per hour or $55,020 per year. Audio and video equipment technicians were the second lowest-paid technical workers in the television industry, and earned an average of $20.48 per hour or $42,590 per year, around 2 percent more than the mean rate of pay for camera operators.