Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Colorado make a median of $74,990 a year, or about $36.05 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $72,307 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $75K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About camera operators, television, video, and films
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What this looks like in Colorado
Camera operators, television, video, and film pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $75K | +0% | 220 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/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 Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,201/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Colorado pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Colorado?
The median is $74,990 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,900, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $122,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,820/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 38% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $72,307 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.