27
Photographers is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Photographers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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11
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13
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13
| soc | 27-4021 |
| title | Photographers |
| onet code | 27-4021.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 51,230 |
| a mean | 55,650 |
| a median | 42,520 |
| a pct10 | 29,610 |
| a pct25 | 34,790 |
| a pct75 | 62,370 |
| a pct90 | 94,760 |
| h mean | 26 |
| h median | 20 |
The day-to-day work of a photographers typically centers on adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Service Orientation. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.26 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working photographers, the most common entry qualification is a Some College Courses (27.3%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 14% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $110,530 and lowest in Arkansas at $33,850 — a 3.3× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Minnesota) average $67,826. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $110,530 | $99,690 | $36,720 | $141,390 | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $60,610 | $68,190 | $38,380 | $102,760 | 1,170 |
| New York | $57,700 | $69,860 | $35,380 | $123,540 | 3,620 |
| Oregon | $55,640 | $69,100 | $36,200 | $104,290 | 570 |
| Minnesota | $54,650 | $58,910 | $31,730 | $90,500 | 530 |
| New Jersey | $50,760 | $60,280 | $33,880 | $94,550 | 1,280 |
| California | $50,610 | $76,230 | $35,750 | $131,250 | 7,300 |
| Delaware | $50,040 | $50,540 | $29,430 | $68,550 | 250 |
| Rhode Island | $49,770 | $51,770 | $33,430 | $74,960 | 160 |
| Louisiana | $49,740 | $54,800 | $26,830 | $107,140 | 410 |
| Connecticut | $48,260 | $55,270 | $37,150 | $86,690 | 490 |
| New Hampshire | $48,180 | $52,480 | $20,890 | $72,800 | 180 |
| Utah | $47,610 | $51,740 | $31,330 | $75,610 | 650 |
| Hawaii | $45,440 | $55,760 | $31,200 | $71,370 | 450 |
| Maryland | $44,890 | $55,250 | $33,060 | $89,040 | 870 |
| Mississippi | $44,660 | $44,690 | $28,810 | $63,420 | 190 |
| Maine | $44,610 | $50,820 | $34,240 | $75,590 | 170 |
| Washington | $44,580 | $52,210 | $35,690 | $80,080 | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $43,560 | $51,780 | $32,160 | $78,590 | 1,000 |
| Virginia | $43,180 | $53,030 | $29,120 | $94,040 | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $42,000 | $42,160 | $21,310 | $63,930 | 300 |
| New Mexico | $41,600 | $59,560 | $31,220 | $145,580 | 210 |
| Georgia | $40,050 | $51,100 | $20,200 | $81,500 | 1,950 |
| Wyoming | $39,700 | $45,220 | $30,000 | $64,300 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,640 | $49,800 | $28,530 | $73,220 | 2,000 |
| Wisconsin | $39,440 | $49,940 | $30,720 | $79,690 | 1,040 |
| Nebraska | $39,020 | $46,580 | $28,120 | $72,370 | 290 |
| North Carolina | $38,400 | $51,200 | $28,410 | $76,380 | 1,620 |
| Florida | $38,230 | $55,520 | $29,840 | $92,660 | 4,450 |
| Arizona | $38,210 | $49,190 | $31,000 | $97,130 | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $37,920 | $40,570 | $20,120 | $60,320 | 360 |
| Missouri | $37,280 | $48,380 | $29,020 | $83,970 | 810 |
| Indiana | $37,270 | $41,450 | $26,940 | $60,100 | 870 |
| Idaho | $36,900 | $45,470 | $29,910 | $75,810 | 170 |
| Texas | $36,760 | $40,210 | $21,150 | $60,530 | 3,780 |
| Iowa | $36,380 | $40,120 | $15,080 | $74,000 | 370 |
| Alaska | $36,190 | $42,250 | $34,840 | $52,240 | 50 |
| Montana | $36,180 | $51,400 | $22,820 | $120,640 | 180 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 | $42,040 | $27,520 | $64,220 | 1,090 |
| Kansas | $35,930 | $39,030 | $29,100 | $57,570 | 270 |
| Nevada | $35,560 | $42,450 | $26,790 | $67,870 | 790 |
| West Virginia | $35,470 | $36,040 | $28,120 | $47,620 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $35,150 | $39,420 | $30,950 | $58,460 | 100 |
| Alabama | $35,140 | $43,360 | $23,760 | $71,340 | 490 |
| North Dakota | $35,090 | $41,470 | $30,650 | $54,950 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $34,870 | $39,700 | $18,770 | $64,080 | 590 |
| Illinois | $34,600 | $41,260 | $29,120 | $62,360 | 2,530 |
| Ohio | $33,990 | $39,900 | $29,360 | $62,160 | 1,970 |
| Arkansas | $33,850 | $36,690 | $23,670 | $59,170 | 240 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for photographers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Advertising Photographer or Aerial Photographer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Photographers compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Photographers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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