Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Huntsville, AL make a median of $65,530 a year, or about $31.51 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $70,409 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,310/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $66K get you in Huntsville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Huntsville’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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
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What this looks like in Huntsville
Pay for camera operators, television, video, and film in Huntsville runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,310/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Huntsville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $65K | $71K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $76K | $76K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $62K | $55K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $61K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Huntsville, AL
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $24K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Huntsville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,310/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Huntsville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,513/month. At HUD’s $1,310/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Huntsville?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $66K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Huntsville compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Huntsville pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Huntsville, AL?
The median is $65,530 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,880, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $65,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Huntsville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,281/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,310/month, which eats 30.6% 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 Huntsville?
Huntsville has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $70,409 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.