Arts, Design, Media, and Sports · Career brief

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$74,990

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

1.3%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

2,500

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Creative

Original ideas and creative judgment matter

Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if creative work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

Before choosing, compare:Film and Video Editors Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film with another field Explore rankings in Arts, Design, Media, and Sports Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$74,990

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

1.3%employment growth2,500openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

32,600

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Camera operators, television, video, and film (27-4031).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
Operate television or motion picture cameras to record scenes for television broadcasts, advertising, or motion pictures.
Adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting.
Operate zoom lenses, changing images according to specifications and rehearsal instructions.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.
Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Thinking Creatively4.6
Getting Information4.6
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.6
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.4
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.4

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Artistic5.0
Realistic4.9
Conventional3.7
Enterprising2.3
Investigative2.0
Social1.8

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Computers and Electronics Communications and Media Telecommunications Engineering and Technology

Software and tools named in job postings

Adobe After Effects Adobe Creative Cloud software TikTok Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe Premiere Pro

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Complete a creative brief for someone else, meet the deadline, invite blunt criticism, and revise the work once.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Camera operators, television, video, and film nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, TikTok; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options