Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Films in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA make a median of $61,820 a year, or about $29.72 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $55,629 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 58.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Pay for camera operators, television, video, and film in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 58% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $36K | $36K |
| Boise City | $58K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level camera operators, television, video, and films (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $89K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 58% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new camera operators, television, video, and films typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,461/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 102% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $62K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for camera operators, television, video, and films?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do camera operators, television, video, and films make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $61,820 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,010, and experienced camera operators, television, video, and films can clear $130,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 58% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $55,629 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.