Cinematographers and Directors of Photography

Many cinematographers do freelance work or have jobs under union contracts. They may work for employers ranging from major studios producing films with multimillion-dollar budgets to small, independent producers who are financing a film with their credit cards. As a result, their earnings vary widely.

When starting out as a camera operator, an individual may volunteer for a job, without pay, simply to get experience. At the other end of the earnings scale, a well-established cinematographer working on big-budget productions can make well over a million dollars a year.

Camera operators (a category that includes cinematographers) received median annual earnings of $61,800 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest paid 10 percent made less than $34,420 per year. At the high end, 10 percent earned more than $120,740 annually. The mean annual salary for camera operators working in the motion picture and video production industries was $84,070.

Freelancers must pay for their own benefits, such as health insurance, and they usually must buy their own equipment, which can be quite expensive.