Photographers
Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.
Common Job Titles
- Commercial Photographer
- Photographer
- Photojournalist
- Portrait Photographer
Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Annual wage data for Photographers (2024)
Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)
51,230
Wage Distribution by Percentile
Line chart of annual wages by percentile. U.S. is the solid line. 10th percentile: U.S. $29,610. 25th percentile: U.S. $34,790. 50th percentile: U.S. $42,520. 75th percentile: U.S. $62,370. 90th percentile: U.S. $94,760. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between percentiles.
- U.S.
| Metric | U.S. |
|---|---|
| 10% of workers earn the following or less | $29,610 |
| 10% of workers earn the following or more | $94,760 |
| Workers on average earn | $55,650 |
+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)
Skills & Requirements
Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance
- Customer and Personal Service4.7/5
- Sales and Marketing4.5/5
- Computers and Electronics4.2/5
- Administration and Management3.9/5
- English Language3.7/5
Tools & Technology
Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation
In-Demand Technology
Frequently requested by employers in job postings
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple macOS
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- WordPress
Technology Skills
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Blinkbid
- Cradoc fotoBiz
- Email software
- Genbook
- Google Drive
- HindSight InView
Tools & Equipment
- Board reflectors
- Bubble machines
- Camera cleaning brushes
- Camera flash attachments
- Camera positioning tripods
- Computer inkjet printers
- Computer laser printers
- Contact print frames