Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $107,620 a year — 44% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $77,363 take-home, or $6,447 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median camera operators, television, video, and film salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,846
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,672
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,560
- California income tax$5,779
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,399
- Take-home pay$77,363
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,480 | $27.15 | $45,389 | $3,782 |
| 25th percentile | $85,930 | $41.31 | $64,403 | $5,367 |
| Median (50th) | $107,620 | $51.74 | $77,363 | $6,447 |
| 75th percentile | $134,570 | $64.70 | $93,210 | $7,767 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $154,240 | $74.15 | $104,569 | $8,714 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $107,620 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median camera operators, television, video, and film's $77,363 take-home pay has the buying power of $68,121 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 4.1× the national concentration of camera operators, television, video, and film jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for camera operators, television, video, and film, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #1 of 2 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $107,620 | $77,363 | $68,121 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $93,410 | $70,073 | $62,252 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 2 metros →
About the job: camera operators, television, video, and film
Operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.3% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a camera operators, television, video, and film make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median camera operators, television, video, and film salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $107,620 a year, or about $51.74 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $85,930 and $134,570.
What is a camera operators, television, video, and film’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $107,620 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $77,363 a year ($6,447 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $7,178 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a camera operators, television, video, and film?
Pay here is 44% above the national median of $74,990. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $68,121 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #1 of 2 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a camera operators, television, video, and film afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median camera operators, television, video, and film’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
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- Editor — $100,050
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- Public Relations Specialist — $79,860
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