Best states for a camera operator

Q: What is the best state for camera operators?

The best state to be a camera operator is New York based on camera operator salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for camera operators?

The highest paying state for camera operators is Maine based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for camera operators?

The worst state for camera operators is Minnesota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and arts, entertainment, sports, and media careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to camera operator jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for camera operators.As camera operators are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for camera operators. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a camera operator, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.

In order to get you the best states for camera operators, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New York is the best state, and Long Beach is the city with the highest pay for camera operators.

10 best states for camera operators in 2025

1. New York
Total camera operator jobs: 374
Average annual salary: $63,438
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Camera operator jobs in New York
2. California
Total camera operator jobs: 596
Average annual salary: $60,272
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Camera operator jobs in California
3. Texas
Total camera operator jobs: 271
Average annual salary: $53,963
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000
Location Quotient:
0.56
Camera operator jobs in Texas
4. Alaska
Total camera operator jobs: 105
Average annual salary: $48,773
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Location Quotient:
5.22
Camera operator jobs in Alaska
5. Michigan
Total camera operator jobs: 100
Average annual salary: $51,571
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000
Location Quotient:
0.53
Camera operator jobs in Michigan
6. Arkansas
Total camera operator jobs: 33
Average annual salary: $50,735
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000
Location Quotient:
0.52
Camera operator jobs in Arkansas
7. Maryland
Total camera operator jobs: 915
Average annual salary: $47,968
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
5.98
Camera operator jobs in Maryland
8. Utah
Total camera operator jobs: 53
Average annual salary: $44,830
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Camera operator jobs in Utah
9. Nevada
Total camera operator jobs: 19
Average annual salary: $52,729
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
0.38
Camera operator jobs in Nevada
10. New Mexico
Total camera operator jobs: 12
Average annual salary: $54,709
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000
Location Quotient:
0.25
Camera operator jobs in New Mexico

Camera operator jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a camera operator

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a camera operator

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$63,438	$30,000	19,849,399	374
2	California	$60,272	$35,000	39,536,653	596
3	Texas	$53,963	$31,000	28,304,596	271
4	Alaska	$48,773	$31,000	739,795	105
5	Michigan	$51,571	$27,000	9,962,311	100
6	Arkansas	$50,735	$30,000	3,004,279	33
7	Maryland	$47,968	$24,000	6,052,177	915
8	Utah	$44,830	$27,000	3,101,833	53
9	Nevada	$52,729	$31,000	2,998,039	19
10	New Mexico	$54,709	$33,000	2,088,070	12
11	Oregon	$46,037	$27,000	4,142,776	48
12	New Jersey	$46,699	$22,000	9,005,644	824
13	West Virginia	$42,977	$23,000	1,815,857	19
14	Louisiana	$43,175	$25,000	4,684,333	40
15	Connecticut	$46,008	$21,000	3,588,184	55
16	Ohio	$42,552	$23,000	11,658,609	113
17	Massachusetts	$43,518	$19,000	6,859,819	1,158
18	Pennsylvania	$42,188	$20,000	12,805,537	130
19	Arizona	$42,407	$25,000	7,016,270	67
20	Mississippi	$41,236	$24,000	2,984,100	23
21	Hawaii	$46,264	$33,000	1,427,538	93
22	Washington	$44,049	$26,000	7,405,743	79
23	South Dakota	$41,481	$25,000	869,666	7
24	Nebraska	$40,818	$24,000	1,920,076	25
25	Colorado	$41,197	$26,000	5,607,154	85
26	Virginia	$40,555	$21,000	8,470,020	134
27	Iowa	$40,265	$23,000	3,145,711	39
28	South Carolina	$40,393	$22,000	5,024,369	51
29	Kentucky	$40,997	$23,000	4,454,189	23
30	Rhode Island	$36,467	$16,000	1,059,639	146
31	Florida	$39,724	$22,000	20,984,400	221
32	Montana	$42,722	$27,000	1,050,493	7
33	Idaho	$41,738	$25,000	1,716,943	13
34	Missouri	$40,704	$24,000	6,113,532	63
35	District of Columbia	$38,769	$20,000	693,972	193
36	Kansas	$40,498	$24,000	2,913,123	22
37	Illinois	$40,775	$23,000	12,802,023	121
38	North Dakota	$39,389	$23,000	755,393	8
39	Vermont	$37,296	$16,000	623,657	9
40	New Hampshire	$41,267	$18,000	1,342,795	8
41	Alabama	$36,675	$21,000	4,874,747	55
42	Wisconsin	$36,205	$20,000	5,795,483	64
43	North Carolina	$37,199	$20,000	10,273,419	102
44	Wyoming	$37,224	$23,000	579,315	5
45	Delaware	$39,693	$19,000	961,939	7
46	Tennessee	$33,289	$19,000	6,715,984	77
47	Indiana	$37,136	$20,000	6,666,818	38
48	Georgia	$33,031	$18,000	10,429,379	136
49	Oklahoma	$33,779	$20,000	3,930,864	35
50	Maine	$32,005	$13,000	1,335,907	10
51	Minnesota	$35,641	$20,000	5,576,606	55

Highest paying states for camera operators

Rank	State	Avg. Camera Operator Salary
1	New York	$63,438
2	California	$60,272
3	Texas	$53,963
4	Alaska	$48,773
5	Michigan	$51,571
6	Arkansas	$50,735
7	Maryland	$47,968
8	Utah	$44,830
9	Nevada	$52,729
10	New Mexico	$54,709
11	Oregon	$46,037
12	New Jersey	$46,699
13	West Virginia	$42,977
14	Louisiana	$43,175
15	Connecticut	$46,008
16	Ohio	$42,552
17	Massachusetts	$43,518
18	Pennsylvania	$42,188
19	Arizona	$42,407
20	Mississippi	$41,236
21	Hawaii	$46,264
22	Washington	$44,049
23	South Dakota	$41,481
24	Nebraska	$40,818
25	Colorado	$41,197
26	Virginia	$40,555
27	Iowa	$40,265
28	South Carolina	$40,393
29	Kentucky	$40,997
30	Rhode Island	$36,467
31	Florida	$39,724
32	Montana	$42,722
33	Idaho	$41,738
34	Missouri	$40,704
35	District of Columbia	$38,769
36	Kansas	$40,498
37	Illinois	$40,775
38	North Dakota	$39,389
39	Vermont	$37,296
40	New Hampshire	$41,267
41	Alabama	$36,675
42	Wisconsin	$36,205
43	North Carolina	$37,199
44	Wyoming	$37,224
45	Delaware	$39,693
46	Tennessee	$33,289
47	Indiana	$37,136
48	Georgia	$33,031
49	Oklahoma	$33,779
50	Maine	$32,005
51	Minnesota	$35,641

Camera operator best states FAQs

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What is the highest paying state for camera operators?

What is the worst state for camera operators?

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Best states for Camera Operators

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total camera operator jobs:	374
Average annual salary:	$63,438
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$131,000
Location Quotient:	1.21

Best states for a camera operator

10 best states for camera operators in 2025

1. New York

2. California

3. Texas

4. Alaska

5. Michigan

6. Arkansas

7. Maryland

8. Utah

9. Nevada

10. New Mexico