The average wage for a cinematographer in the United States is around $19.28 per hour.
Avg Wage
Cinematographers earn an average hourly wage of $19.28.
Salaries typically start from $13.82 per hour and go up to $51.22 per hour.
1% below national average Updated in 2018
Cinematographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$51.22 per hour
$106,547 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$28.55 per hour
$59,390 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$19.28 per hour
$40,099 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$15.27 per hour
$31,756 per year
10th percentile
Starting level cinematographer earnings begin at:
$13.82 per hour
$28,745 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
How do cinematographer salaries compare to similar careers?
Cinematographers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than film directors but more than gaffers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film director salary | $72K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $73K |
| Television writer salary | $62K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
| Film and video editor salary | $60K |
| Cinematographer salary | $40K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $54K |
| Sports broadcaster salary | $40K |
| Camera operator salary | $50K |
| Gaffer salary | $36K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)