Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Rhode Island make a median of $49,790 a year, or about $23.94 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $48,924 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 44.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Rhode Island?
About camera operators, television, video, and films
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Pay for camera operators, television, video, and film in Rhode Island 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 $1,544/month, which is 45.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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, Rhode Island
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $49K | -2% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track camera operators, television, video, and film salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 45.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/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 Rhode Island?
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 $2,537/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Rhode Island?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $50K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Rhode Island pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Rhode Island?
The median is $49,790 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,290, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $76,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,380/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 45.7% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $48,924 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.