What are the main factors that influence a Broadcast Camera Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What are the highest paying states for a Broadcast Camera Operator?

Broadcast Camera Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Broadcast Camera Operator roles are District of Columbia $104,501, California $104,101, Massachusetts $102,701. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Broadcast Camera Operator roles make?

Salaries for Broadcast Camera Operator level roles vary by specialization: Broadcast Production Director: $145,500; Broadcast Production Manager: $108,000; Camera Operator, Television and Motion Picture: $94,343; Video Camera Operator: $73,349; Freelance Camera Operator: $73,172.

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Broadcast Camera Operator make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Broadcast Camera Operator in the United States is $94,401 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.

However, a Broadcast Camera Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $139,297
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,501 to $117,901
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $64,025

10% $64,025

50% (Median) $94,401

90% $139,297

Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$117,901	$9,825	$2,267	$57
Average	$94,401	$7,867	$1,815	$45
25th Percentile	$78,501	$6,542	$1,510	$38

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries

A Broadcast Camera Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Broadcast Camera Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $104,501.
California: $104,101.
Massachusetts: $102,701.

District of Columbia $104,501 California $104,101 Massachusetts $102,701 Washington $102,301 New Jersey $102,301 Alaska $102,201 Connecticut $100,901 New York $100,301

Hawaii $98,701 Rhode Island $97,901 Maryland $97,301 Minnesota $96,601 Colorado $96,301 Illinois $96,201 Oregon $95,901 Delaware $95,601

New Hampshire $95,401 Virginia $95,101 Pennsylvania $94,001 Nevada $93,401 North Dakota $93,201 Michigan $93,001 Wisconsin $92,901 Vermont $92,601

Texas $92,101 Arizona $92,001 Maine $92,001 Ohio $91,901 Georgia $91,001 Indiana $90,601 Wyoming $90,501 Utah $90,401

Iowa $90,301 Kansas $89,901 Louisiana $89,801 North Carolina $89,701 Missouri $89,701 Florida $89,301 Montana $89,101 Nebraska $88,901

Kentucky $88,801 South Carolina $88,401 Tennessee $88,201 Idaho $88,101 New Mexico $87,401 Oklahoma $87,301 Alabama $86,701 South Dakota $85,801

Arkansas $85,301 West Virginia $85,001 Mississippi $84,201

Top Paying Cities for Broadcast Camera Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $119,001
San Francisco: $117,701
Oakland: $115,301

San Jose, CA $119,001

San Francisco, CA $117,701

Oakland, CA $115,301

New York, NY $108,701

Paramus, NJ $107,401

Queens Village, NY $107,401

Passaic, NJ $107,301

Bergenfield, NJ $107,301

Huntington, NY $107,001

Stamford, CT $107,001

Newark, NJ $106,301

Bridgeport, CT $106,101

Vallejo, CA $105,901

New Brunswick, NJ $105,901

Petaluma, CA $105,801

Middlesex, NJ $105,601

Somerset, NJ $105,601

Santa Cruz, CA $105,501

Boston, MA $104,901

Monterey, CA $104,601

Seattle, WA $104,301

Santa Rosa, CA $104,301

Los Angeles, CA $104,301

Juneau, AK $104,001

Washington, DC $103,901

Orange, CA $103,601

Santa Ana, CA $103,401

Long Beach, CA $103,301

Anchorage, AK $103,201

Anaheim, CA $103,201

Santa Maria, CA $102,901

Everett, WA $102,901

Danbury, CT $102,601

Bremerton, WA $102,401

Tacoma, WA $102,101

New Suffolk, NY $102,101

Sacramento, CA $102,101

Santa Barbara, CA $102,001

Trenton, NJ $101,901

San Diego, CA $101,901

Brockton, MA $101,801

Fairbanks, AK $101,501

Lompoc, CA $101,301

Lowell, MA $101,201

Ventura, CA $101,201

Nashua, NH $101,201

Stockton, CA $101,201

Modesto, CA $100,501

Poughkeepsie, NY $100,301

Kennewick, WA $100,101

Olympia, WA $100,101

New Haven, CT $100,001

Lawrence, MA $99,701

Hartford, CT $99,601

Riverside, CA $99,601

New Bedford, MA $99,501

Richland, WA $99,501

Bakersfield, CA $99,401

Norwich, CT $99,301

New London, CT $99,301

San Bernardino, CA $99,301

New Britain, CT $99,301

Atlantic City, NJ $99,301

Portsmouth, NH $99,201

Boulder, CO $99,001

Portland, OR $98,901

Worcester, MA $98,901

Minneapolis, MN $98,601

Philadelphia, PA $98,501

Honolulu, HI $98,201

Saint Paul, MN $98,101

Vineland, NJ $98,101

Providence, RI $97,801

Chicago, IL $97,501

Springfield, MA $97,401

Bellingham, WA $97,401

Baltimore, MD $97,301

Chico, CA $97,101

Pittsfield, MA $96,801

Manchester, NH $96,701

Spokane, WA $96,201

Denver, CO $96,201

Albany, NY $95,801

Troy, NY $95,801

Nassau, NY $95,701

Schenectady, NY $95,601

Wilmington, DE $95,501

Burlington, VT $95,301

Salem, OR $95,301

Portland, ME $95,001

Yakima, WA $94,901

Rochester, MN $94,601

Reno, NV $94,601

Fresno, CA $94,601

Milwaukee, WI $94,501

Allentown, PA $94,401

Ann Arbor, MI $94,401

Detroit, MI $94,401

Colorado Springs, CO $94,201

Syracuse, NY $94,201

Carson City, NV $94,201

Houston, TX $94,001

Eugene, OR $94,001

Gary, IN $93,901

Springfield, OR $93,801

Bismarck, ND $93,801

Galveston, TX $93,701

Medford, OR $93,601

Fort Collins, CO $93,501

Concord, NH $93,501

Austin, TX $93,501

Mesa, AZ $93,301

Reading, PA $93,301

Phoenix, AZ $93,201

Dallas, TX $93,201

Saint Cloud, MN $93,101

Madison, WI $93,001

Utica, NY $92,701

Rochester, NY $92,601

Des Moines, IA $92,601

Raleigh, NC $92,601

Atlanta, GA $92,401

Battle Creek, MI $92,401

Salt Lake City, UT $92,401

Lancaster, PA $92,201

Harrisburg, PA $92,101

Columbus, OH $92,001

Fort Worth, TX $92,001

Kansas City, MO $92,001

Kansas City, KS $92,001

Champaign, IL $92,001

Boca Raton, FL $91,901

Pittsburgh, PA $91,901

Richmond, VA $91,901

Cleveland, OH $91,801

Indianapolis, IN $91,801

Cincinnati, OH $91,701

Las Vegas, NV $91,701

Petersburg, VA $91,601

Huntsville, AL $91,401

Lansing, MI $91,401

Lebanon, PA $91,401

Pueblo, CO $91,401

Appleton, WI $91,301

Buffalo, NY $91,301

Dayton, OH $91,301

Saint Louis, MO $91,201

Racine, WI $91,201

Charlotte, NC $91,201

Lorain, OH $91,101

York, PA $91,101

Elkhart, IN $91,101

Gastonia, NC $91,101

Billings, MT $91,101

Beaumont, TX $91,101

Binghamton, NY $91,001

Rock Hill, SC $91,001

Benton Harbor, MI $91,001

Toledo, OH $91,001

Rockford, IL $90,901

Springfield, IL $90,901

Elyria, OH $90,901

Fargo, ND $90,901

Flagstaff, AZ $90,801

Fort Lauderdale, FL $90,801

Duluth, MN $90,701

Miami, FL $90,701

Cheyenne, WY $90,601

Grand Forks, ND $90,601

Bangor, ME $90,401

Cedar Rapids, IA $90,301

Durham, NC $90,301

Louisville, KY $90,301

Grand Rapids, MI $90,301

Hialeah, FL $90,201

Casper, WY $90,101

Virginia Beach, VA $90,001

New Orleans, LA $90,001

Scranton, PA $90,001

Akron, OH $89,901

Peoria, IL $89,801

Sarasota, FL $89,801

Nashville, TN $89,701

Omaha, NE $89,701

Green Bay, WI $89,701

Baton Rouge, LA $89,701

Jamestown, NY $89,601

Charleston, SC $89,601

Davenport, IA $89,601

Tucson, AZ $89,501

Saint Petersburg, FL $89,501

Tampa, FL $89,501

Bradenton, FL $89,401

Evansville, IN $89,401

Port Arthur, TX $89,401

Santa Fe, NM $89,201

Clearwater, FL $89,001

Orlando, FL $89,001

La Crosse, WI $88,801

Canton, OH $88,801

Albuquerque, NM $88,801

Newport News, VA $88,701

High Point, NC $88,701

Ogden, UT $88,701

Corpus Christi, TX $88,601

Jacksonville, FL $88,501

Saginaw, MI $88,501

Rock Island, IL $88,501

Norfolk, VA $88,501

Laramie, WY $88,501

Salisbury, NC $88,401

Boise, ID $88,401

Moline, IL $88,401

Fort Myers, FL $88,301

Memphis, TN $88,301

Tulsa, OK $88,301

Waterloo, IA $88,201

Provo, UT $88,101

Fort Wayne, IN $88,101

Spartanburg, SC $88,101

Lincoln, NE $88,101

Cedar Falls, IA $87,901

San Antonio, TX $87,901

Greensboro, NC $87,901

South Bend, IN $87,901

Savannah, GA $87,801

Winston Salem, NC $87,701

Muskegon, MI $87,701

Birmingham, AL $87,701

Lake Charles, LA $87,401

Anderson, IN $87,401

Lexington, KY $87,401

Augusta, GA $87,401

Greenville, SC $87,401

Wichita, KS $87,301

Tuscaloosa, AL $87,301

Lima, OH $87,301

Springfield, OH $87,201

Columbia, SC $87,201

Asheville, NC $87,001

Bloomington, IN $86,901

Knoxville, TN $86,601

Shreveport, LA $86,601

Wilmington, NC $86,501

Roanoke, VA $86,501

Topeka, KS $86,301

Frankfort, KY $86,301

Melbourne, FL $86,201

Longview, TX $86,201

Chillicothe, OH $86,201

Oklahoma City, OK $86,201

Sioux Falls, SD $86,001

Mobile, AL $86,001

Terre Haute, IN $86,001

Altoona, PA $85,901

Amarillo, TX $85,901

Killeen, TX $85,801

Fayetteville, AR $85,801

Chattanooga, TN $85,701

Sioux City, IA $85,601

Idaho Falls, ID $85,601

Lynchburg, VA $85,501

Gainesville, FL $85,401

Portsmouth, OH $85,401

Little Rock, AR $85,401

Daytona Beach, FL $85,301

Clarksville, TN $85,301

Lafayette, LA $85,301

Youngstown, OH $85,301

Pensacola, FL $85,201

Temple, TX $85,201

Hopkinsville, KY $85,001

Erie, PA $84,901

Florence, SC $84,901

Charleston, WV $84,801

Great Falls, MT $84,701

Tallahassee, FL $84,601

Macon, GA $84,601

Helena, MT $84,501

Fayetteville, NC $84,501

Waco, TX $84,501

Pine Bluff, AR $84,401

Vincennes, IN $84,301

Lubbock, TX $84,301

Alamogordo, NM $84,201

Twin Falls, ID $84,101

Rapid City, SD $84,101

Greenville, MS $83,901

Huntington, WV $83,901

Jackson, MS $83,901

Parkersburg, WV $83,801

Montgomery, AL $83,801

Wichita Falls, TX $83,701

Springfield, MO $83,701

Biloxi, MS $83,701

Monroe, LA $83,601

Columbus, GA $83,501

Sumter, SC $83,501

Johnstown, PA $83,501

Pascagoula, MS $83,301

Abilene, TX $83,301

Kingsport, TN $83,001

Albany, GA $83,001

Gulfport, MS $83,001

Alexandria, LA $82,701

Fort Smith, AR $82,501

El Paso, TX $82,201

Las Cruces, NM $81,801

Harlingen, TX $81,501

Pocatello, ID $81,501

Florence, AL $81,401

Brownsville, TX $81,401

Mcallen, TX $81,201

Dothan, AL $81,101

Columbus, MS $80,501

Altus, OK $80,101

Lawton, OK $79,901

Pierre, SD $79,501

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Broadcast Camera Operator salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $94,401. While startup companies pay approximate $94,401.

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$94,401
Growth Stage	51~500	$94,401
Established	501~5000	$94,401
Enterprise	5000+	$94,401

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Broadcast Camera Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$78,501

Average $94,401/year

$117,901

$6,542

Average $7,867/month

$9,825

$1,510

Average $1,815/week

$2,267

$38

Average $45/hour

$57

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$117,901	$9,825	$2,267	$57
Average	$94,401	$7,867	$1,815	$45
25th Percentile	$78,501	$6,542	$1,510	$38

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary Growth & Career Path

Broadcast Camera Operator

Next Role

Broadcast Production Manager

For a Broadcast Camera Operator, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Broadcast Production Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $108,000 - a projected growth of 14% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Broadcast Camera Operator

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Broadcast Camera Operator job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Broadcast Camera Operator

1. Do you need a license to be a camera operator?

There are no certification or licensing requirements for camera operators. However, it's important to note that the salary for a Broadcast Camera Operator typically ranges from a minimum of $75,801 to a maximum of $113,901, with a median salary around $91,201, reflecting the skills and experience in the field.

2. Do camera operators need a degree?

Camera operators generally need a bachelor's degree in film, broadcasting, or a related field to enter the profession. This education helps them develop essential skills in cinematography and video editing. The salary for broadcast camera operators ranges from $75,801 to $113,901, with a median salary of $91,201, reflecting the importance of formal training in this competitive industry.

3. What is the highest salary for a Cameraman?

The highest salary for a Broadcast Camera Operator is $113,901 per year. This reflects the potential earnings in this profession, with a minimum salary of $75,801 and a mid-range salary of $91,201.

4. How do you become a TV camera operator?

To become a TV camera operator, you typically need a related degree and should complete an internship for hands-on experience. After that, apply for camera operator positions in film, television production, news broadcasting, or event companies. The salary for a Broadcast Camera Operator ranges from $75,801 to $113,901, with a median salary of $91,201.

5. How much do Netflix camera operators make?

The salary range for a Broadcast Camera Operator is approximately $75,801 to $113,901 annually, with a mid-salary of about $91,201. This reflects the base salary, excluding any additional compensation such as bonuses or profit sharing.

6. What is the difference between a cameraman and a camera operator?

The main difference between a camera operator and a cameraman lies in their roles: the camera operator focuses on the technical aspects of operating the camera, while the cameraman emphasizes the creative elements of shooting video. In terms of salary, a Broadcast Camera Operator typically earns between $75,801 and $113,901, with a median salary of $91,201.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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Broadcast Camera Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Broadcast Camera Operator make in the United States?

Key Factors That Influence Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries

How Do Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Broadcast Camera Operators

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary Growth & Career Path

Most common benefits for Broadcast Camera Operator

Find Your Next Broadcast Camera Operator Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Broadcast Camera Operator

1. Do you need a license to be a camera operator?

2. Do camera operators need a degree?

3. What is the highest salary for a Cameraman?

4. How do you become a TV camera operator?

5. How much do Netflix camera operators make?

6. What is the difference between a cameraman and a camera operator?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Broadcast Camera Operator make in the United States?

Key Factors That Influence Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries

How Do Broadcast Camera Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Broadcast Camera Operators

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary by Company Size

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Broadcast Camera Operator Salary Growth & Career Path

Salaries of Jobs related to Broadcast Camera Operator

Most common benefits for Broadcast Camera Operator

Find Your Next Broadcast Camera Operator Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Broadcast Camera Operator

1. Do you need a license to be a camera operator?

2. Do camera operators need a degree?

3. What is the highest salary for a Cameraman?

4. How do you become a TV camera operator?

5. How much do Netflix camera operators make?

6. What is the difference between a cameraman and a camera operator?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?