Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $102,370 a year, or about $49.22 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $98,822 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,781/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $102K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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.
About camera operators, television, video, and films
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for camera operators, television, video, and film, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for camera operators, television, video, and films in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $53K | $55K |
| Kansas City | $61K | $66K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $58K | $61K |
| Madison | $51K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $95K 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 with published data
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,206/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $102K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $102,370 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,770, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $131,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,278/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 $98,822 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.