Broadcast Technicians vs Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: $60K vs $75K Median Pay

Broadcast Technicians vs Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: what changes?

Consider Broadcast Technicians if you want to set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Consider Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film if you would rather operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions. Entry credentials differ: Broadcast Technicians, associate's degree; Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film, bachelor's degree.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Broadcast Technicians and Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Broadcast Technicians

National median pay (2025): $59,570
Route into the job: Associate's degree; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Report equipment problems, ensure that repairs are made, and make emergency repairs to equipment when necessary and possible.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,600

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 3.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Broadcast Technicians brief

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

National median pay (2025): $74,990
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 2,500

Know before you choose

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

See the full Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film brief

How the national numbers differ

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on median pay

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is at $74,990, compared with $59,570 for Broadcast Technicians.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on projected growth

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is at 1.3% projected growth, compared with -3.1% projected growth for Broadcast Technicians.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on annual openings

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is at 2,500 annual openings, compared with 1,600 annual openings for Broadcast Technicians.

34.4/ 100

Broadcast Technicians

46.8/ 100

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Broadcast Technicians vs Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

Dimension	Broadcast Technicians	Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
Median pay (2025)	$59,570	$74,990
Pay percentile	47.3 percentile	65 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-3.1%	1.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,600	2,500
2025 employment	24,100	32,600
How you qualify	Associate's degree; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	Bachelor's degree
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Broadcast Technicians brief Read Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film brief

Broadcast Technicians vs Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Broadcast Technicians

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

How the national numbers differ

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on median pay

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on projected growth

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on annual openings

Broadcast Technicians vs Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

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