Commercial photographer demographics and statistics in the US
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Commercial photographer demographics by:
Commercial photographer gender statistics
26.1% of commercial photographers are women and 73.9% of commercial photographers are men.
- Male, 73.9%
- Female, 26.1%
Commercial photographer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.9% |
| Female | 26.1% |
Commercial photographer gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,606
Female income
$34,956
Commercial photographer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in commercial photographer positions over time. Currently, 26.1% of commercial photographers are female.
Commercial photographer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.13% | 26.87% |
| 2011 | 73.09% | 26.91% |
| 2012 | 72.05% | 27.95% |
| 2013 | 70.62% | 29.38% |
| 2014 | 72.93% | 27.07% |
| 2015 | 75.41% | 24.59% |
| 2016 | 76.06% | 23.94% |
| 2017 | 75.57% | 24.43% |
| 2018 | 74.70% | 25.30% |
| 2019 | 71.64% | 28.36% |
| 2020 | 68.69% | 31.31% |
| 2021 | 73.89% | 26.11% |
Commercial photographer related jobs gender ratio
We compared commercial photographers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, broadcast maintenance engineer and audio installer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer Helper | 18% | 82% |
| Studio Associate | 23% | 77% |
| Photography Internship | 30% | 70% |
| Commercial Photographer | 74% | 26% |
| News Cameraman | 95% | 5% |
| Audio Installer | 95% | 5% |
| Broadcast Maintenance Engineer | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Commercial photographer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among commercial photographers is White, which makes up 65.7% of all commercial photographers. Comparatively, 15.4% of commercial photographers are Hispanic or Latino and 7.1% of commercial photographers are Asian.
- White, 65.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.4%
- Asian, 7.1%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Commercial photographer race
| Commercial photographer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.4% |
| Asian | 7.1% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Commercial photographer race and ethnicity over time
See how commercial photographer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Commercial photographer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.40% | 6.47% | 4.71% | 13.76% |
| 2011 | 74.97% | 5.80% | 4.40% | 12.26% |
| 2012 | 72.50% | 5.83% | 4.34% | 14.26% |
| 2013 | 72.93% | 5.90% | 4.95% | 13.34% |
| 2014 | 73.16% | 5.66% | 5.17% | 12.99% |
| 2015 | 72.01% | 6.33% | 4.88% | 14.02% |
| 2016 | 72.74% | 4.39% | 5.30% | 14.52% |
| 2017 | 72.77% | 6.23% | 4.47% | 13.93% |
| 2018 | 70.18% | 6.40% | 5.82% | 15.09% |
| 2019 | 72.03% | 5.66% | 5.53% | 13.95% |
| 2020 | 70.20% | 5.10% | 5.49% | 14.29% |
| 2021 | 65.66% | 6.38% | 7.07% | 15.37% |
Commercial photographer wage gap by race
According to our data, white commercial photographers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american commercial photographers have the lowest average salary at $37,805.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,972 |
| White | $39,484 |
| Black or African American | $37,805 |
| Asian | $38,601 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,190 |
Average commercial photographer age
See how the average age of commercial photographers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Commercial photographer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34 | 30 |
| White | 43 | 34 |
| Black or African American | 33 | |
| Asian | 35 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 33 |
Commercial photographer age breakdown
The average age of commercial photographers is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the commercial photographer population.
Commercial photographer age breakdown
| Commercial Photographer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Commercial photographer educational attainment
The most common degree for commercial photographers is bachelor's degree, with 66% of commercial photographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 6%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Commercial photographers by degree level
| Commercial photographer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 66% |
| Associate | 21% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Commercial photographer jobs you might like
Commercial photographer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, commercial photographers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $40,142 annually. With a Associate degree, commercial photographers earn a median annual income of $36,969 compared to $35,266 for commercial photographers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,266 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,142 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,969 |
Commercial photographer employment statistics
Most commercial photographers work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where commercial photographers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where commercial photographers work.
Commercial photographer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 36% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Commercial photographer jobs by company type
Employees with the commercial photographer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most commercial photographers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Commercial photographer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 5% |
Commercial photographer jobs by industry
The most common industries for commercial photographers are retail, manufacturing and professional.
Commercial photographer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 19% |
| Manufacturing | 14% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Media | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Energy | 1% |
Commercial photographer turnover and employment statistics
Commercial photographer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for commercial photographers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Commercial photographer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Commercial photographer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.20% |
| 2011 | 12.90% |
| 2012 | 10.02% |
| 2013 | 11.78% |
| 2014 | 8.02% |
| 2015 | 8.68% |
| 2016 | 6.42% |
| 2017 | 6.80% |
| 2018 | 6.68% |
| 2019 | 4.40% |
| 2020 | 12.28% |
| 2021 | 13.40% |
Average commercial photographer tenure
The average commercial photographer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 693 commercial photographers resumes in Zippia's database.
Commercial photographer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 7% |
| 1-2 years | 13% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 45% |
Commercial photographer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of commercial photographers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Video Operator | 5.55% | 33,632 |
| Editor/Camera Operator | 7.31% | 30,314 |
| Commercial Photographer | 11.17% | - |
| News Editor | 11.70% | 12,484 |
| Graphic Designer And Photographer | 12.14% | 46,087 |
| Kitchen Designer | 17.34% | 56,831 |
| Cast Member | 23.07% | 79,789 |
Similar commercial photographer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Video Operator | 5.55% | 33,632 |
| Editor/Camera Operator | 7.31% | 30,314 |
| News Editor | 11.70% | 12,484 |
| Graphic Designer And Photographer | 12.14% | 46,087 |
| Kitchen Designer | 17.34% | 56,831 |
| Cast Member | 23.07% | 79,789 |
Foreign languages spoken by commercial photographers
The most common foreign language among commercial photographers is Spanish at 61.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 7.7% and German is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 61.5%
- Portuguese, 7.7%
- German, 7.7%
- French, 7.7%
- Chinese, 3.8%
- Other, 11.6%
Commercial photographer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 61.5% |
| Portuguese | 7.7% |
| German | 7.7% |
| French | 7.7% |
| Chinese | 3.8% |
| Other | 11.6% |
