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Camera operator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a camera operator. Camera operators usually study photography, communication, or digital media. 68% of camera operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 9,580 real camera operator resumes to see exactly what camera operator education sections show.
The most common colleges for camera operators are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.
There are also many online camera operator courses to help get the education required to be a camera operator.
There are certain camera operator certifications that you should consider. These camera operator certifications include Certified Television Operator (CTO) and Operator Certification.
What education do you need to become a camera operator?
What degree do you need to be a camera operator?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a camera operator?
- Photography, 33%
- Communication, 22%
- Digital Media, 7%
- Journalism, 6%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for camera operators
| Camera operator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 24.53% |
| Columbia College Chicago | 6.28% |
| New York University | 5.84% |
| Temple University | 5.40% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 4.67% |
Best majors for camera operators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 32.7% |
| 2 | Communication | 22.0% |
| 3 | Digital Media | 7.3% |
| 4 | Journalism | 6.4% |
| 5 | Business | 3.8% |
Best colleges for camera operators
The best colleges for camera operators are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A camera operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for camera operators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become camera operators.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Texas State University
San Marcos, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
6. Minnesota State University - Mankato
Mankato, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,184
Enrollment
11,675
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. American University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$48,459
Enrollment
7,485
9. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$48,522
Enrollment
6,557
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Enrollment
31,441
20 best online courses for camera operators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for camera operators
The most affordable schools for camera operators are Hunter College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for camera operators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for camera operators.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for camera operators
The hardest universities for camera operators to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for camera operators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for camera operators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
14%
SAT average
1,531
8. Hamilton College
Clinton, NY • Private
Admissions rate
21%
SAT average
1,446
9. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for camera operators
The easiest schools for camera operators to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and la roche college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a camera operator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for camera operators.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
4. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
8. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
9. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average camera operator salary by education level
| Camera operator education level | Camera operator salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,389 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,209 |
Camera operator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025