Creative pay 2026
Videographer salary in California (2026)
Videographers and camera operators in California earn a median $106,900 a year ($51.39 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 43% more than the US median of $74,990, and the highest of 47 states and territories with published figures. It is 1.8 times the median for all jobs in California.
- $106,900median a year in California
- $51.39median an hour
- +43%vs the US median ($74,990)
- 4,700employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a videographer in California?
Half of videographers and camera operators in California earn between $76,060 and $130,960. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.9 times the 10th, against 3.5 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $53,910 | $38,520 | $25.92 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $76,060 | $50,920 | $36.57 |
| Median | $106,900 | $74,990 | $51.39 |
| 75th | $130,960 | $106,660 | $62.96 |
| 90th percentile | $154,240 | $135,180 | $74.16 |
The mean (average) is $106,350, below the median.
How does California compare with other states?
California pays videographers and camera operators more than any other state: its median is 7% above second-placed Illinois.
Which cities in California pay videographers and camera operators best?
Of the 6 metro areas in California where BLS publishes a median for the job, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays most, at $107,620, 1% above the state median.
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,540 | $107,620 | $51.74 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 280 | $98,500 | $47.35 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 150 | $56,580 | $27.20 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 50 | $84,870 | $40.81 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 50 | $71,390 | $34.32 |
| Fresno, CA | 40 | $80,030 | $38.48 |
How many videographers and camera operators work in California?
BLS estimates 4,700 employee jobs, 0.26 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is concentrated here: California's share of employment in it is 1.86 times the national share (BLS's location quotient).
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in California?
2 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in California.
| UX/UI designer | $136,110 | 27,090 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $130,540 | 7,410 |
| Video editor | $88,490 | 8,110 |
| Copywriter | $86,480 | 8,390 |
| Graphic designer | $75,130 | 27,390 |
| Photographer | $47,840 | 7,980 |
What do freelance videographers and camera operators charge?
Upwork, videographers list $10 to $53 an hour, worldwide. California's employee median of $51.39 an hour is inside that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average videographer salary in California?
The median is $106,900 a year and the mean is $106,350, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 4,700 employee jobs.
How much does a videographer make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage is $51.39. The bottom 10% earn under $25.92 and the top 10% over $74.16.
What does a starting videographer earn in California?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of videographers and camera operators in California earn under $76,060 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $53,910, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-4031, Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 4,700 jobs in the California estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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