SOC 49-9061.00

    Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers

    Repair and adjust cameras and photographic equipment, including commercial video and motion picture camera equipment.

    Median pay
    $52,720
    Growth
    -15.5%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    100
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $34,320
    Median
    $52,720
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $83,940
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    1,650 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Camera and photographic equipment repairers fix and adjust cameras and commercial video gear. The career offers a median annual pay of $52,720, though overall employment in this field is relatively small.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What camera and photographic equipment repairers do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Repair and adjust cameras and photographic equipment, including commercial video and motion picture camera equipment.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this profession spend their days diagnosing, maintaining, and fixing mechanical and electronic camera systems. They work with a variety of equipment, ranging from consumer cameras to complex commercial video and motion picture gear. To do this successfully, repairers must inspect equipment closely, gather information about malfunctions, and solve complex technical problems.

    This role is highly suited for individuals with realistic interests who enjoy hands-on, practical work. Success in this field requires strong skills in troubleshooting, repairing, and quality control analysis. Repairers rely on their knowledge of mechanics, computers, electronics, and engineering technology to guide their work. They must demonstrate high attention to detail, dependability, and cautiousness to avoid damaging sensitive components. Additionally, they need solid customer service and communication skills to interact with clients and understand their equipment issues.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a high school diploma, though many workers prepare through medium-level training. This preparation often includes vocational training, an associate degree, or related technical experience.

    Students interested in this pathway can pursue college majors in precision systems maintenance and repair technologies or technician programs. Developing a strong background in electronics and mechanics is highly beneficial for securing employment as a camera repair technician, mechanic, or specialist.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for camera and photographic equipment repairers was $52,720 in 2025. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% of workers earning less than $34,320 and the highest 10% earning more than $83,940.

    There are 1,650 people employed in this occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to decline by -15.5%. Despite this decline, about 100 job openings are still expected to become available each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    99 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    28 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    16 / 100
    Social (S)
    3 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    0 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    64 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
    78
    Getting Information
    68
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    67
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    65
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    64
    Working with Computers
    64
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    64
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    62
    Thinking Creatively
    61
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    58
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Troubleshooting
    • Repairing
    • Critical Thinking
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Time Management

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Administrative
    • Education and Training
    • Sales and Marketing
    • Administration and Management
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Visualization
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Perseverance
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Innovation
    • Adaptability
    • Self-Confidence
    • Integrity

    Also called

    Aircraft Photographic Equipment Mechanic · Aircraft Photographic Equipment Repairer · Camera Machinist · Camera Mechanic · Camera Prototyping Engineer · Camera Repair Specialist · Camera Repair Technician · Camera Repairer · Camera Repairman · Camera Technician

    Career pathway

    From your interests to camera and photographic equipment repairers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers$52,720 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Murray State College-Oklahoma logo
      Murray State College-Oklahoma

      Tishomingo, OK · Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $48,487
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What camera and photographic equipment repairers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about camera and photographic equipment repairers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common job titles in this field?

    Workers in this occupation are known by several names, including camera repair technicians, camera mechanics, camera repairmen, and camera prototyping engineers. Some specialized roles include aircraft photographic equipment mechanics and camera machinists.

    What education is needed to start this career?

    Most employers require a high school diploma to enter the field. However, many technicians also complete vocational school programs, earn an associate degree, or gain equivalent hands-on experience.

    What is the job outlook for camera repairers?

    The field is small, with 1,650 people employed, and is projected to decline by -15.5% from 2025 to 2035. Even with this decline, there are still approximately 100 job openings projected each year.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.