What Does a Videographer Do?
Videographers shoot and often edit video for clients: weddings, corporate interviews, real estate tours, commercials, social content, live events and local news. Many freelance or run a small business, carrying the whole kit themselves (camera, lenses, lights, audio recorders and gimbal) and delivering a finished edit. On larger productions they work as camera operators taking direction from a producer or director of photography. What sets the job apart is the mix of camera skill, sound recording, lighting on the fly and editing against a deadline.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Camera Operator, Cameraman, Master Control Operator (MCO), News Videographer, Production Technician, Studio Camera Operator, Television News Photographer.
Videographer Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a videographer include:
- Meet clients to agree on the shot list, running time, deadlines and where the video will be shown.
- Scout locations for light, background noise, power outlets and places to set up gear.
- Set exposure, white balance, frame rate and focus, and compose each shot with the right lens.
- Light interviews and scenes with portable LED panels, diffusion and reflectors.
- Mic subjects with lavalier and shotgun microphones and monitor audio levels on headphones throughout the shoot.
- Shoot handheld or from tripods, sliders and gimbals, and coordinate with other operators on multi-camera events.
- Offload and back up footage to two drives before leaving the shoot.
- Edit footage, correct color, mix audio and add graphics in Adobe Creative Cloud tools such as Premiere Pro and After Effects.
- Export versions for each platform, from widescreen web files to vertical clips for TikTok and other social apps.
- Clean, charge and test cameras, batteries, cables and microphones between jobs.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a videographer, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Manual camera control: exposure, shutter angle, focus pulling and lens choice
- Location lighting with small kits and available light
- Clean audio capture, including lav placement and dealing with room echo and wind
- Nonlinear editing, color correction and motion graphics in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects
- Reliable file management, backups and delivery workflows
- An FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate for anyone flying drones for paid work
- Putting nervous interview subjects at ease so they look and sound natural on camera
- Pricing, contracts and client follow-up for those working freelance
Education and Training
There is no required degree, and clients hire on the strength of a demo reel. About 61 percent of workers in this occupation report an associate's degree, often in video production, broadcasting, film or digital media, where students get hands-on time with cameras, lighting, audio and editing. Others learn by assisting experienced shooters, working at a local TV station or building a portfolio with paid side jobs. Practice with editing software matters as much as camera work. If you plan to shoot aerials for clients, you must pass the FAA Part 107 knowledge test before flying commercially.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $50,920 - $106,660 per year, with a median of $74,990.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.
BLS projects employment of camera operators, television, video, and film to grow about 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,500 openings a year. Video content demand is growing rapidly across all industries. Videographers who master emerging formats (short-form, live streaming, 360 video) and platforms will find the strongest opportunities. Career paths include senior videographer, video producer, and creative director.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Camera operators, television, video, and film.
Videographer Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $38,520 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $50,920 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $74,990 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $106,660 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $135,180 |
Highest-Paying States for Videographers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are California ($106,900), Illinois ($100,170), District of Columbia ($98,300), New York ($93,410), Georgia ($85,050). Pay is lowest in South Dakota ($44,160), West Virginia ($43,390), Maine ($37,590).
Median pay in all 46 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,800 |
| Alaska | $83,620 |
| Arizona | $68,250 |
| Arkansas | $48,680 |
| California | $106,900 |
| Colorado | $74,990 |
| Connecticut | $65,630 |
| District of Columbia | $98,300 |
| Florida | $62,220 |
| Georgia | $85,050 |
| Hawaii | $44,230 |
| Idaho | $58,140 |
| Illinois | $100,170 |
| Indiana | $56,810 |
| Iowa | $57,220 |
| Kansas | $60,690 |
| Kentucky | $53,790 |
| Louisiana | $58,440 |
| Maine | $37,590 |
| Maryland | $65,870 |
| Massachusetts | $61,320 |
| Michigan | $55,290 |
| Minnesota | $51,420 |
| Mississippi | $49,920 |
| Montana | $50,910 |
| Nebraska | $46,180 |
| Nevada | $62,110 |
| New Hampshire | $45,880 |
| New Mexico | $49,050 |
| New York | $93,410 |
| North Carolina | $62,720 |
| North Dakota | $53,650 |
| Ohio | $64,860 |
| Oklahoma | $48,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,760 |
| Rhode Island | $49,790 |
| South Carolina | $57,940 |
| South Dakota | $44,160 |
| Tennessee | $57,030 |
| Texas | $63,110 |
| Utah | $73,450 |
| Vermont | $46,350 |
| Virginia | $58,440 |
| Washington | $60,250 |
| West Virginia | $43,390 |
| Wisconsin | $52,810 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as camera operators, television, video, and film about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 98% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 84% use email every day
- 80% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 68% work against deadlines every day
- 64% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 64% are on the phone every day
- 36% spend more than half the workday sitting
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | 61% |
| High school diploma or GED | 18% |
| Some college | 15% |
| Bachelor's degree | 7% |
Tools and Software Videographers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy creative work and self-expression as well as hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Critical Thinking.
Knowledge areas used most: English Language, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Videographer Job
- Job application letter sample
- How to write the skills section of a resume
- How to describe your work experience
- Job interview tips
- Interview thank-you note
The Job Explorer never charges candidates any money. If someone asks you to pay to apply for a videographer job or to get hired, treat it as a warning sign.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 27-4031.00 (Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.