Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Maryland make a median of $65,870 a year, or about $31.67 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $66,697 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 41.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $66K get you in Maryland?
About camera operators, television, video, and films
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What this looks like in Maryland
Pay for camera operators, television, video, and film in Maryland runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for camera operators, television, video, and films.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $66K | +0% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track camera operators, television, video, and film salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,694/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Maryland?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $66K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Maryland pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Maryland?
The median is $65,870 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,900, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $97,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,314/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 41.6% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $66,697 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.