Also called: Television Camera Operator, Videographer
Physically runs the camera, framing and moving it to capture each shot the way the DP wants.
A camera operator on a TV series might spend the day on a dolly, tracking actors down a hallway while keeping them perfectly framed. On a live sports broadcast, they follow a fast ball across a field from a stadium platform.
Union operators on studio jobs earn well above the median; event and news shooters earn less.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in film or broadcasting common; many learn on the job or through community college programs.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Film Production, Broadcasting, Photography.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS projects about average growth for camera operators.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Robotic heads and auto-tracking take some studio and sports shots; handheld and scripted camera work on real sets stays human.
Classes: Film/video production CTE, Photography, Physics, Broadcast journalism.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.