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Camera repair technician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$52,720median pay per year, or $25.35 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $34,320lowest 10% earn less
  2. $41,63025th percentile
  3. $52,720median
  4. $66,07075th percentile
  5. $83,940top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A camera repair technician is counted by BLS as a Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairer. The median pay was $52,720 a year[1], and employment is projected to fall 15.5% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-15.5%[2]
Openings per year
100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do camera repair technicians make?

In May 2025, the median wage for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers was $52,720 a year, or $25.35 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $56,040 a year, or $26.94 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[4].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $34,320 $16.50
25th[3][8] $41,630 $20.02
75th[3][8] $66,070 $31.77
90th[3][8] $83,940 $40.35

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $34,320 a year[3]. A percentile is a boundary line, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

BLS published state wages for only 13 states[11]. Ohio had the highest median at $85,070, followed by Virginia at $65,170 and New Jersey at $60,290[11]. Texas was last in the list at $33,940[11]. Ohio's figure rests on about 80 jobs[11].

The most jobs were in Texas (90), Ohio (80), Georgia (60), New York (50) and New Jersey (40)[12]. By metro area, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area had about 60 jobs with a median of $60,290, and the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area had about 40 with a median of $49,960[13].

Show median pay in 13 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Ohio[11]$85,07080
Virginia$65,170n/a
New Jersey$60,29040
California$59,770n/a
Arizona$59,080n/a
Nevada$52,700n/a
Georgia$49,32060
New York$48,28050
Kansas$46,920n/a
Tennessee$44,940n/a
Florida$41,29030
North Carolina$41,14030
Texas$33,94090

How to become a camera repair technician

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience, and the typical training is long-term on-the-job training[6]. O*NET places the job in Job Zone Three, where medium preparation is needed[14].

In an O*NET survey of 15 workers, 32% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, 28% said a post-secondary certificate, 13% said less than a high school diploma, 11% said some college courses, 8% said an associate's degree and 7% said a bachelor's degree[15]. Because the survey is small, treat these shares as a rough picture only.

The path in the facts looks like this:

The facts do not say how many years that training lasts.

What camera repair technicians do

O*NET describes the job as repairing and adjusting cameras and other photo gear, including commercial video and motion picture cameras[16]. Typical tasks include:

Job titles reported by workers include Camera Repair Technician, Photo Equipment Technician and Photographic Technician[18].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 15.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,800 to 1,500 jobs[2]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5%[19]. The projection counts include self-employed workers, and 7.3% of these repairers were self-employed in 2025[2][20]. The OEWS count of about 1,650 jobs does not include them[21].

BLS still expects about 100 openings a year on average[5]. These include jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5% of workers leave the labor force and 4.6% move to a different occupation[22].

BLS lists one factor behind the decline in demand: fewer standalone cameras are entering the market, and replacing a camera is becoming more cost-effective than repairing it[23].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is close to the all-occupations median, and the typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent[1][4][6]. The work is hands-on and detailed, with long-term on-the-job training[6][17]. The field is small and projected to shrink, with about 100 openings a year[2][5]. The facts fit someone who enjoys precise bench work and accepts a small, shrinking job market.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a camera repair technician make an hour?
The median for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers was $25.35 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $26.94 an hour[1][7].
How much does a camera repair technician make a year?
The median was $52,720 a year, and the 90th percentile was $83,940[1][3].
What education do you need to be a camera repair technician?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with long-term on-the-job training[6].
Is camera repair in demand?
BLS projects employment to fall 15.5% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][19]. About 100 openings a year are expected[5].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers in the US was $52,720 per year and $25.35 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers is projected to decline 15.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,800 to 1,500 jobs (a change of -300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers: 10th percentile $34,320, 25th percentile $41,630, 75th percentile $66,070, 90th percentile $83,940. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 100 openings for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers was $56,040 per year and $26.94 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers: 10th percentile $16.50, 25th percentile $20.02, 75th percentile $31.77, 90th percentile $40.35. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers jobs: Texas 90; Ohio 80; Georgia 60; New York 50; New Jersey 40. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 60 (median $60,290); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 40 (median $49,960). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. O*NET 49-9061.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  15. O*NET 49-9061.00 survey of workers (15 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 32%, Post-Secondary Certificate 28%, Less than a High School Diploma 13%, Some College Courses 11%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 8%, Bachelor's Degree 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET description of Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET task list for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 49-9061.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Camera Repair Technician, Camera Repairman, Camera Technician, Photo Equipment Technician, Photo Technologist, Photographic Equipment Repair Technician, Photographic Equipment Technician, Photographic Technician (Photo Tech). O*NET OnLine
  19. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 7.3% of Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,650 people were employed as Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers: 5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers: Demand change - share decreases as fewer standalone cameras enter the market and as camera replacement becomes more cost-effective than camera repair. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.