Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Omaha, NE-IA make a median of $49,680 a year, or about $23.88 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.91), which stretches that salary to about $54,053 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,368/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Omaha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Omaha’s Regional Price Parity (91.91). 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 Omaha
Pay for camera operators, television, video, and film in Omaha runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,368/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for camera operators, television, video, and films.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for camera operators, television, video, and films in metros near Omaha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $75K | , |
| Kansas City | $61K | $66K |
| St. Louis | $71K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Omaha, NE-IA
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $31K 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 Omaha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Omaha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,368/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Omaha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,660/month. At HUD’s $1,368/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Omaha?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $50K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Omaha compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Omaha pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Omaha, NE-IA?
The median is $49,680 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,330, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $75,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Omaha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,349/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,368/month, which eats 40.8% 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 Omaha?
Omaha has a Regional Price Parity of 91.91 (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 $54,053 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.