The average wage for a camera operator in California is around $26.17 per hour.
Avg Wage
Camera operators earn an average hourly wage of $26.17.
Salaries typically start from $18.05 per hour and go up to $47.34 per hour.
18% below national average Updated in 2021
Camera operator earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Camera operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $94,100 |
| Connecticut | $80,140 |
| New York | $80,010 |
| District of Columbia | $77,670 |
| Maryland | $62,120 |
| Missouri | $61,200 |
| Washington | $60,580 |
| Colorado | $60,360 |
| Oregon | $60,360 |
| Arizona | $59,980 |
| Hawaii | $59,960 |
| California | $54,420 |
| Texas | $54,090 |
| Mississippi | $53,550 |
| Virginia | $50,090 |
| Minnesota | $49,150 |
| Illinois | $49,070 |
| Indiana | $48,940 |
| North Carolina | $48,830 |
| Alabama | $48,750 |
| Nebraska | $48,590 |
| Utah | $48,510 |
| Idaho | $48,370 |
| North Dakota | $48,340 |
| Kentucky | $48,030 |
| Florida | $47,780 |
| Wyoming | $47,590 |
| Arkansas | $47,050 |
| South Carolina | $47,030 |
| Oklahoma | $46,150 |
| Massachusetts | $43,940 |
| Kansas | $41,920 |
| Vermont | $39,320 |
| Georgia | $38,920 |
| Wisconsin | $38,690 |
| Michigan | $38,550 |
| South Dakota | $38,210 |
| New Hampshire | $38,030 |
| Ohio | $37,890 |
| Nevada | $37,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,490 |
| Louisiana | $36,950 |
| West Virginia | $36,450 |
| Maine | $36,130 |
| Guam | $32,590 |
| Tennessee | $31,040 |
| Montana | $30,750 |
| Iowa | $30,430 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,070 |
| New Mexico | $22,990 |
How do camera operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Camera operators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than calligraphers but more than photographers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Calligrapher salary | $70K |
| Interior designer salary | $63K |
| Graphic designer salary | $62K |
| Illustrator salary | $62K |
| Craft artist salary | $55K |
| Camera operator salary | $54K |
| Announcer salary | $49K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $57K |
| Museum conservator salary | $59K |
| Photographer salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)