Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Anchorage, AK make a median of $83,620 a year, or about $40.2 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $79,321 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,376/month, or 24.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Anchorage sits well above the national pay line for camera operators, television, video, and film, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,376/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Anchorage offers a genuinely strong financial position for camera operators, television, video, and films at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $107K | +43% | 4,700 |
| Illinois | $100K | +34% | 1,060 |
| District of Columbia | $98K | +31% | 240 |
| New York | $93K | +25% | 2,930 |
| Georgia | $85K | +13% | 570 |
| Alaska | $84K | +12% | 50 |
| Colorado | $75K | +0% | 300 |
| Utah | $73K | -2% | 240 |
| Arizona | $68K | -9% | 520 |
| Maryland | $66K | -12% | 290 |
| Connecticut | $66K | -12% | 170 |
| Ohio | $65K | -14% | 520 |
| Texas | $63K | -16% | 1,100 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -16% | 380 |
| Florida | $62K | -17% | 970 |
| Nevada | $62K | -17% | 320 |
| Alabama | $62K | -18% | 220 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | -18% | 370 |
| Kansas | $61K | -19% | 110 |
| Washington | $60K | -20% | 440 |
| Virginia | $58K | -22% | 420 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -22% | 270 |
| Idaho | $58K | -22% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -23% | 40 |
| Iowa | $57K | -24% | 90 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -24% | 460 |
| Indiana | $57K | -24% | 200 |
| Michigan | $55K | -26% | 380 |
| Kentucky | $54K | -28% | 170 |
| North Dakota | $54K | -28% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $53K | -30% | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -31% | 670 |
| Minnesota | $51K | -31% | 300 |
| Montana | $51K | -32% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -33% | 60 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | -34% | 50 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -35% | 290 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -35% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -35% | 220 |
| Vermont | $46K | -38% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $46K | -38% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | -39% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $44K | -41% | 90 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -41% | 50 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -42% | 60 |
| Maine | $38K | -50% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track camera operators, television, video, and film salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Anchorage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for camera operators, television, video, and films in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,067/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is camera operators, television, video, and film a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $84K here vs. $75K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Anchorage pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $83,620 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,110, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $83,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,601/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 24.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a camera operators, television, video, and film salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median camera operators, television, video, and film salary is worth about $79,321 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do camera operators, television, video, and films get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.