# Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

> Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/camera-operators-television-video-and-film
- SOC code: 27-4031.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $74,990 (10th percentile $38,520, 90th percentile $135,180)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.3%
- Openings a year: 2,500
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ARC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 65 |
| Investigative (I) | 17 |
| Artistic (A) | 67 |
| Social (S) | 13 |
| Enterprising (E) | 21 |
| Conventional (C) | 44 |

## What you'd do

- Thinking Creatively (importance 90/100)
- Getting Information (importance 90/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 89/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 85/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 85/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 83/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 82/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 80/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 79/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

English Language, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology, Public Safety and Security, Education and Training, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, Production and Processing

## Also called

Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator), Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot), Advanced Air Mobility Technician (AAM Technician), Aerial Camera Operator, Animation Camera Operator, Camera Engineer, Camera Operator, Camera Person, Cameraman, Cinematographer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Film/Video and Photographic Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5006) (CIP 5006, 676 colleges)
- [Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1002) (CIP 1002, 328 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $35,898 | $70,963 | $12,979 |
| [Chapman University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/chapman-university-510) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $40,622 | $66,494 | $19,500 |
| [Rutgers University-New Brunswick Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rutgers-university-new-brunswick-main-campus-2279) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $29,996 | $63,679 | $20,375 |
| [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/johns-hopkins-university-1344) | Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $62,858 | not reported |
| [Seattle University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/seattle-university-2393) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | not reported | $62,385 | $20,500 |
| [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/loyola-marymount-university-1550) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $40,146 | $61,500 | $20,000 |
| [Tufts University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/tufts-university-2826) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $46,529 | $59,960 | $17,900 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $36,652 | $58,720 | $19,750 |

## Related careers

- [Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electro-mechanical-and-mechatronics-technologists-and-technicians): $73,900 median pay
- [Broadcast Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/broadcast-technicians): $59,570 median pay
- [Audio and Video Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/audio-and-video-technicians): $58,100 median pay
- [Media Technical Directors/Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/media-technical-directors-managers): $90,360 median pay
- [Avionics Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/avionics-technicians): $82,280 median pay
- [Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/camera-and-photographic-equipment-repairers): $52,720 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.