Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Arizona make a median of $68,250 a year, or about $32.81 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $70,791 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $68K get you in Arizona?
About camera operators, television, video, and films
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What this looks like in Arizona
Camera operators, television, video, and film pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $68K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,437/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $124K spread from bottom to top.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by metro in Arizona
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $71K | +4% | 350 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 31.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for camera operators, television, video, and films in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,311/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $68K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Arizona pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Arizona?
The median is $68,250 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,520, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $162,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,558/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 31.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a camera operators, television, video, and film salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median camera operators, television, video, and film salary is worth about $70,791 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.