Motion Picture Camera Operators

Median Salary: $42,900

Many motion picture camera operators across the United States share a few important professional attributes. For example, stress tolerance, adaptability/flexibility, and independence can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when blended with career training. Around 17,540 individuals were employed as motion picture camera operators nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to utilize these traits and receive formal training, particularly if you're preparing to advance in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for motion picture camera operators in the U.S. was $42,900 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $20.60. Of course, income can vary with training and by locale. Below, you'll find more data about motion picture camera operators, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the United States.

Motion picture camera operators should be skilled in:

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Recognition
  • Far Vision
  • Originality
  • Written Expression

Different individuals go into different careers; motion picture camera operators are typically:

  • Realistic
  • Artistic
  • Conventional

Working as a motion picture camera operator requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Computers and Electronics
  • Communications and Media
  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as motion picture camera operators). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of motion picture camera operators in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham NA $34,200 $16.40 $39,900 $19.20 NA
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 180 $65,600 $31.50 $79,300 $38.10 -22.4%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fresno NA $49,100 $23.60 $63,500 $30.60 NA
Los Angeles (Area) 2,200 $49,800 $24.00 $93,900 $45.20 116.4%
Oakland NA $57,600 $27.70 $76,400 $36.70 NA
Riverside 30 $48,100 $23.10 $54,600 $26.20 -79.9%
Sacramento 120 $45,200 $21.70 $56,600 $27.20 5.2%
Salinas NA $65,900 $31.70 $113,700 $54.60 NA
San Diego 320 $30,600 $14.70 $42,900 $20.60 88.8%
San Francisco (Area) NA $62,300 $29.90 $82,200 $39.50 NA
San Francisco (City) 260 $66,900 $32.20 $88,000 $42.30 97.8%
San Jose 50 $37,300 $17.90 $68,400 $32.90 -56.7%
Santa Barbara 30 $53,500 $25.70 $60,400 $29.10 52.2%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Colorado Springs 30 $30,400 $14.60 $39,300 $18.90 4.5%
Denver 280 $56,600 $27.20 $67,700 $32.50 73.9%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Hartford 360 NA NA NA NA 377.6%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 670 $53,600 $25.80 $75,400 $36.20 120.1%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cape Coral NA $36,500 $17.50 $46,300 $22.30 NA
Jacksonville 120 $22,600 $10.90 $31,000 $14.90 59%
Miami (Area) 360 $35,900 $17.30 $47,300 $22.70 48.5%
Orlando 180 $34,600 $16.60 $42,600 $20.50 39.6%
Tampa 200 $41,300 $19.90 $49,100 $23.60 30.6%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 500 $50,000 $24.00 $61,600 $29.60 61.9%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 80 $35,900 $17.30 $57,900 $27.80 43.3%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City NA $19,400 $9.30 $43,100 $20.70 NA
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 400 $37,300 $17.90 $59,000 $28.40 -19.4%
Peoria 40 $23,200 $11.10 $32,800 $15.80 87.3%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Indianapolis NA $75,500 $36.30 $84,700 $40.70 NA
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Des Moines 60 $38,900 $18.70 $45,100 $21.70 27.6%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wichita 30 $30,800 $14.80 $58,000 $27.90 -16.4%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Elizabethtown 30 $46,000 $22.10 $56,100 $27.00 478.4%
Louisville 70 $33,300 $16.00 $55,100 $26.50 -6%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 60 $30,600 $14.70 $38,200 $18.40 23.9%
New Orleans 120 $31,500 $15.20 $38,900 $18.70 74.6%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 190 $47,000 $22.60 $64,800 $31.20 10.4%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) 240 $66,000 $31.70 $88,900 $42.70 8.2%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Detroit (Area) NA $50,400 $24.20 $62,900 $30.30 NA
Grand Rapids 50 $24,500 $11.80 $27,800 $13.30 8.2%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 100 $46,500 $22.40 $54,700 $26.30 -55.2%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City 110 $35,500 $17.10 $42,500 $20.40 -15.7%
Springfield NA $24,800 $11.90 $33,200 $15.90 NA
St. Louis 180 $50,000 $24.00 $72,100 $34.70 6%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Omaha 40 $40,200 $19.30 $46,900 $22.60 -27.6%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 90 $44,400 $21.30 $59,800 $28.80 -20.1%
Reno 50 $36,300 $17.40 $57,300 $27.60 88.1%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque NA $65,600 $31.50 $117,200 $56.30 NA
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 70 $59,100 $28.40 $75,300 $36.20 12.7%
Buffalo 80 $27,100 $13.00 $48,000 $23.10 6%
New York (Area) NA $45,300 $21.80 $56,300 $27.10 NA
Rochester NA $34,000 $16.40 $45,200 $21.70 NA
Syracuse 30 $39,200 $18.90 $63,300 $30.50 -20.1%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlotte 100 $34,200 $16.50 $48,800 $23.50 -12.7%
Durham 40 $47,100 $22.60 $51,900 $24.90 4.5%
Raleigh 40 $41,000 $19.70 $48,100 $23.10 -44%
North Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fargo 40 $20,900 $10.00 $25,000 $12.00 126.1%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cincinnati 80 $45,600 $21.90 $58,100 $27.90 -41%
Cleveland 110 $65,500 $31.50 $73,600 $35.40 -16.4%
Columbus 100 $60,100 $28.90 $69,800 $33.60 -17.9%
Dayton 70 $32,300 $15.50 $50,700 $24.40 45.5%
Youngstown 30 $29,200 $14.10 $41,000 $19.70 5.2%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City NA $22,600 $10.90 $25,700 $12.30 NA
Tulsa 90 $30,500 $14.60 $40,200 $19.30 53.7%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene NA $35,500 $17.10 $41,600 $20.00 NA
Medford NA $19,400 $9.30 $20,400 $9.80 NA
Portland 190 $58,400 $28.10 $152,800 $73.50 41%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Philadelphia (Area) NA $41,300 $19.90 $58,200 $28.00 NA
Pittsburgh 180 $36,800 $17.70 $46,500 $22.40 20.9%
Scranton 40 $27,600 $13.30 $30,800 $14.80 19.4%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 50 $42,400 $20.40 $49,800 $24.00 -37.3%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 60 $28,000 $13.50 $33,100 $15.90 59%
Columbia 40 $30,400 $14.60 $44,500 $21.40 -17.9%
Greenville 40 $52,400 $25.20 $84,300 $40.50 -1.5%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Sioux Falls 30 $20,800 $10.00 $24,900 $12.00 84.3%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Knoxville 40 $35,200 $16.90 $55,400 $26.60 -9.7%
Memphis NA $47,500 $22.80 $60,900 $29.30 NA
Nashville 140 $35,800 $17.20 $48,300 $23.20 41.8%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 50 $28,600 $13.70 $39,700 $19.10 -50%
Corpus Christi NA $24,900 $12.00 $37,500 $18.00 NA
Dallas (Area) 150 $42,100 $20.20 $52,600 $25.30 -43.3%
Houston 60 $21,100 $10.10 $44,700 $21.50 -82.1%
San Antonio 50 $48,200 $23.20 $54,400 $26.20 -54.5%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Provo NA $56,900 $27.40 $61,400 $29.50 NA
Salt Lake City 60 $48,300 $23.20 $60,600 $29.10 -29.1%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Richmond 50 $50,300 $24.20 $61,400 $29.50 -33.6%
Virginia Beach 210 $48,600 $23.30 $63,000 $30.30 112.7%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Seattle (Area) 300 $63,800 $30.70 $74,800 $36.00 61.9%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Madison 50 $29,500 $14.20 $59,900 $28.80 5.2%
Milwaukee 90 $25,700 $12.30 $50,100 $24.10 -14.2%