Photography Salaries & Salary Outlook

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Do you dream of being the next Nigel Barker, Robert Capra, Galen Rowell, Annie Leibovitz, Ansel Adams, or Andy Warhol? Whether your interest is in aerial or fashion photography, celebrity, sports, advertising, or industrial photography or photojournalism, there is a niche for your interest.Learn about photography salaries and the degree you need.

If you love looking through the lens of camera, chances are you already have some informal training from working on the high school newspaper, snapping landscape shots on hikes, or just being the family shutterbug. Although some famous photographers have been self-taught, you can dramatically increase your chances of finding a good salary if you have some formal training, like a photography degree.

Photography Degrees: It Takes More Than a Good Eye

Professional photographers usually have photography degrees from art or journalism departments at four-year colleges or from specialized design schools or degree programs. While earning your photography degree, you will learn not only the art and craft of good picture making, but the use and care of physical equipment, digital image acquisition, management and output, and the history of the profession. You may even have the opportunity to get practical, hands-on experience by working as a photographer’s assistant, apprentice, or intern. Additionally, many programs now offer at least one class in business management which can ultimately mean the difference between a business and a hobby. Not only that, but in a photography degree program, you begin developing your portfolio, the calling card of every photographer.

Photography Careers: Freelance or Corporate Gig?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than fifty percent of all photographers are self-employed, an unusually high percentage for any profession. You might first think of portrait or wedding photographers in the category of the self employed, but many businesses that require photographs do not need a full time staff photographer and instead rely on freelancers.

A Passion for Pictures Can Pay: Photography Salaries

Salaried photographers tend to earn more than those who are self-employed. For the approximately 122,000 photographers in the United States, the mean annual wage is $35,640, according to 2008 BLS reports. Certain industries pay well above the mean; these include: motion picture and video, aerospace, home furnishing wholesalers, nonscheduled air transport and scientific research and development. Mean annual wages in these five industries range from $80,870 to $52,230.

Although Hollywood pays the best, it actually employs relatively few photographers, just over 1,700. Scientific and technical service companies are are largest employer group with over 41,000 photographers, both full time and freelance. The mean annual wage for photographers working in area of science and technology is $32,970. Metropolitan areas that pay above the national mean include the San Francisco Bay area, greater Los Angeles, and the three areas in the midwest: Minneapolis, Chicago and Springfield, Illinois. Mean annual wages for photographers working in these geographies range from $62,470 to $55,260, again according the 2008 BLS reports.

Ironically, most photographers spend the majority of their time doing things other than taking pictures, things like getting to or setting up the shoot, standing around waiting for an event or a shot, and then digitally editing the images captured. This is especially true if you are self-employed because you must also tend to marketing, bookkeeping and legal requirements. Despite the potential hassles, there is work to be had and money to be made. Sometimes it takes just one iconic photo to secure a reputation. But even if you don’t go down in history as a big name photographer, the things you’ll see and the way in which you record those images may last well into your retirement and beyond. Talk about job satisfaction!

Lorraine Watkins
Lorraine Watkins is a business writer and a regular contributor to business and education websites. She is a graduate of California State University, East Bay with an MA in English.

Find Photography Schools Near You

Find the right school today.