Camera operator demographics and statistics in the US
Camera operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates camera operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our camera operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about camera operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 14,386 camera operators currently employed in the United States.
- 22.8% of all camera operators are women, while 77.2% are men.
- The average camera operator age is 37 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of camera operators is White (62.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.3%), Asian (7.1%) and Black or African American (6.7%).
- Camera operators are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for camera operators.
- 10% of all camera operators are LGBT.
On this page
Camera operator demographics by:
Camera operator gender statistics
22.8% of camera operators are women and 77.2% of camera operators are men.
- Male, 77.2%
- Female, 22.8%
Camera operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.2% |
| Female | 22.8% |
Camera operator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,796
Female income
$43,300
Camera operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in camera operator positions over time. Currently, 22.8% of camera operators are female.
Camera operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.79% | 14.21% |
| 2011 | 86.87% | 13.13% |
| 2012 | 82.99% | 17.01% |
| 2013 | 82.12% | 17.88% |
| 2014 | 84.74% | 15.26% |
| 2015 | 84.57% | 15.43% |
| 2016 | 79.46% | 20.54% |
| 2017 | 83.52% | 16.48% |
| 2018 | 81.75% | 18.25% |
| 2019 | 78.15% | 21.85% |
| 2020 | 78.04% | 21.96% |
| 2021 | 77.22% | 22.78% |
Camera operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared camera operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, broadcast maintenance engineer and audio installer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer Helper | 18% | 82% |
| Studio Associate | 23% | 77% |
| Photography Internship | 30% | 70% |
| Camera Operator | 77% | 23% |
| News Cameraman | 95% | 5% |
| Audio Installer | 95% | 5% |
| Broadcast Maintenance Engineer | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Camera operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among camera operators is White, which makes up 62.4% of all camera operators. Comparatively, 18.3% of camera operators are Hispanic or Latino and 7.1% of camera operators are Asian.
- White, 62.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.3%
- Asian, 7.1%
- Black or African American, 6.7%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Camera operator race
| Camera operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.3% |
| Asian | 7.1% |
| Black or African American | 6.7% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Camera operator race and ethnicity over time
See how camera operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Camera operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.08% | 7.22% | 4.23% | 12.98% |
| 2011 | 70.93% | 6.47% | 5.12% | 15.05% |
| 2012 | 70.26% | 7.35% | 6.55% | 12.52% |
| 2013 | 68.10% | 6.18% | 7.24% | 15.34% |
| 2014 | 69.49% | 7.18% | 6.54% | 14.38% |
| 2015 | 69.18% | 7.10% | 5.69% | 14.17% |
| 2016 | 68.45% | 7.45% | 5.03% | 16.37% |
| 2017 | 70.18% | 5.86% | 5.90% | 14.66% |
| 2018 | 67.89% | 7.66% | 6.83% | 14.12% |
| 2019 | 64.00% | 7.07% | 9.20% | 15.65% |
| 2020 | 64.97% | 5.92% | 7.45% | 16.21% |
| 2021 | 62.40% | 6.75% | 7.06% | 18.29% |
Camera operator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown camera operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american camera operators have the lowest average salary at $39,777.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $45,591 |
| White | $42,205 |
| Black or African American | $39,777 |
| Asian | $44,193 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,441 |
Average camera operator age
See how the average age of camera operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Camera operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38 | |
| White | 37.5 | 32 |
| Black or African American | 39 | |
| Asian | 36 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 38 |
Camera operator age breakdown
The average age of camera operators is 40+ years years old, representing 39% of the camera operator population.
Camera operator age breakdown
| Camera Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 39% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Camera operator educational attainment
The most common degree for camera operators is bachelor's degree, with 68% of camera operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Camera operators by degree level
| Camera operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 68% |
| Associate | 19% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Master's | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Camera operator jobs you might like
Camera operator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,389 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,209 |
Camera operator employment statistics
Most camera operators work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where camera operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where camera operators work.
Camera operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Camera operator jobs by company type
Employees with the camera operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most camera operators prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Camera operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 23% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 2% |
Camera operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for camera operators are media, education and hospitality.
Camera operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 29% |
| Education | 20% |
| Hospitality | 9% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Camera operator turnover and employment statistics
Camera operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for camera operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Camera operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Camera operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.45% |
| 2011 | 9.44% |
| 2012 | 11.75% |
| 2013 | 9.27% |
| 2014 | 10.07% |
| 2015 | 8.04% |
| 2016 | 9.10% |
| 2017 | 6.18% |
| 2018 | 5.92% |
| 2019 | 8.68% |
| 2020 | 14.35% |
| 2021 | 9.49% |
Average camera operator tenure
The average camera operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,580 camera operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Camera operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Camera operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of camera operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast Operations Technician | 5.55% | 61,561 |
| Wedding Photographer | 8.13% | 1,445 |
| Camera Operator | 10.03% | - |
| Technical Editor | 11.70% | 78,423 |
| Graphic Design Specialist | 12.14% | 49,055 |
| Project Designer | 17.34% | 60,364 |
| Cast Member | 23.07% | 79,789 |
Similar camera operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast Operations Technician | 5.55% | 61,561 |
| Wedding Photographer | 8.13% | 1,445 |
| Technical Editor | 11.70% | 78,423 |
| Graphic Design Specialist | 12.14% | 49,055 |
| Project Designer | 17.34% | 60,364 |
| Cast Member | 23.07% | 79,789 |
Foreign languages spoken by camera operators
The most common foreign language among camera operators is Spanish at 59.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.9%.
- Spanish, 59.3%
- French, 8.6%
- Chinese, 4.9%
- German, 4.0%
- Mandarin, 3.1%
- Other, 20.1%
Camera operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.3% |
| French | 8.6% |
| Chinese | 4.9% |
| German | 4.0% |
| Mandarin | 3.1% |
| Other | 20.1% |
