Best states for a director of photography

Q: What is the best state for directors of photography?

The best state to be a director of photography is New York based on director of photography salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for directors of photography?

The highest paying state for directors of photography is Oklahoma based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for directors of photography?

The worst state for directors of photography is Georgia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for directors of photography? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for director of photography jobs.Our research shows that New York is the best state in the country for directors of photography.

We figured that the best places for director of photography jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for directors of photography, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for director of photography jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.

10 best states for directors of photography in 2025

1. New York
Total director of photography jobs: 3
Average annual salary: $121,568
Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000
Location Quotient:
0.02
Director of photography jobs in New York
2. Texas
Total director of photography jobs: 5
Average annual salary: $117,261
Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000
Location Quotient:
0.03
Director of photography jobs in Texas
3. Alaska
Total director of photography jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $122,949
Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000
Location Quotient:
0
Director of photography jobs in Alaska
4. Michigan
Total director of photography jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $120,518
Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000
Location Quotient:
0
Director of photography jobs in Michigan
5. New Mexico
Total director of photography jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $119,257
Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000
Location Quotient:
0
Director of photography jobs in New Mexico
6. Montana
Total director of photography jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $103,358
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000
Location Quotient:
0.09
Director of photography jobs in Montana
7. West Virginia
Total director of photography jobs: 259
Average annual salary: $96,222
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000
Location Quotient:
17.26
Director of photography jobs in West Virginia
8. Arkansas
Total director of photography jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $108,335
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000
Location Quotient:
0
Director of photography jobs in Arkansas
9. New Hampshire
Total director of photography jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $105,142
Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
0
Director of photography jobs in New Hampshire
10. Louisiana
Total director of photography jobs: 452
Average annual salary: $96,077
Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000
Location Quotient:
14.39
Director of photography jobs in Louisiana

Director of photography jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a director of photography

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a director of photography

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$121,568	$84,000	19,849,399	3
2	Texas	$117,261	$80,000	28,304,596	5
3	Alaska	$122,949	$86,000	739,795	0
4	Michigan	$120,518	$84,000	9,962,311	0
5	New Mexico	$119,257	$81,000	2,088,070	0
6	Montana	$103,358	$71,000	1,050,493	1
7	West Virginia	$96,222	$66,000	1,815,857	259
8	Arkansas	$108,335	$75,000	3,004,279	0
9	New Hampshire	$105,142	$73,000	1,342,795	0
10	Louisiana	$96,077	$65,000	4,684,333	452
11	Connecticut	$104,099	$72,000	3,588,184	1
12	Utah	$99,180	$67,000	3,101,833	1
13	Vermont	$104,554	$72,000	623,657	0
14	Massachusetts	$105,126	$73,000	6,859,819	0
15	North Dakota	$93,870	$68,000	755,393	1
16	South Dakota	$91,357	$65,000	869,666	175
17	Oregon	$99,265	$68,000	4,142,776	2
18	South Carolina	$91,865	$62,000	5,024,369	678
19	Mississippi	$91,334	$62,000	2,984,100	271
20	Ohio	$96,087	$66,000	11,658,609	1
21	Washington	$100,937	$69,000	7,405,743	1
22	Maine	$92,398	$64,000	1,335,907	1
23	Kentucky	$91,158	$63,000	4,454,189	2
24	New Jersey	$100,741	$70,000	9,005,644	1
25	Maryland	$101,378	$70,000	6,052,177	0
26	Pennsylvania	$90,492	$62,000	12,805,537	2
27	Idaho	$93,137	$63,000	1,716,943	0
28	California	$97,277	$65,000	39,536,653	7
29	Illinois	$91,776	$64,000	12,802,023	2
30	Arizona	$90,046	$61,000	7,016,270	0
31	Nevada	$89,847	$60,000	2,998,039	0
32	Wisconsin	$85,068	$59,000	5,795,483	4
33	Virginia	$88,286	$61,000	8,470,020	5
34	Iowa	$87,494	$61,000	3,145,711	0
35	Missouri	$86,368	$60,000	6,113,532	2
36	Colorado	$88,200	$61,000	5,607,154	1
37	North Carolina	$84,813	$58,000	10,273,419	2
38	Alabama	$81,198	$55,000	4,874,747	514
39	Indiana	$82,979	$57,000	6,666,818	2
40	Kansas	$84,799	$59,000	2,913,123	0
41	Nebraska	$85,224	$60,000	1,920,076	0
42	Hawaii	$88,773	$62,000	1,427,538	0
43	Rhode Island	$85,291	$59,000	1,059,639	0
44	Oklahoma	$71,365	$49,000	3,930,864	410
45	Minnesota	$83,474	$59,000	5,576,606	0
46	Wyoming	$81,732	$56,000	579,315	0
47	Florida	$79,491	$52,000	20,984,400	2
48	Delaware	$83,330	$57,000	961,939	0
49	District of Columbia	$82,102	$57,000	693,972	0
50	Tennessee	$73,071	$50,000	6,715,984	0
51	Georgia	$73,888	$50,000	10,429,379	1

Highest paying states for directors of photography

Rank	State	Avg. Director Of Photography Salary
1	New York	$121,568
2	Texas	$117,261
3	Alaska	$122,949
4	Michigan	$120,518
5	New Mexico	$119,257
6	Montana	$103,358
7	West Virginia	$96,222
8	Arkansas	$108,335
9	New Hampshire	$105,142
10	Louisiana	$96,077
11	Connecticut	$104,099
12	Utah	$99,180
13	Vermont	$104,554
14	Massachusetts	$105,126
15	North Dakota	$93,870
16	South Dakota	$91,357
17	Oregon	$99,265
18	South Carolina	$91,865
19	Mississippi	$91,334
20	Ohio	$96,087
21	Washington	$100,937
22	Maine	$92,398
23	Kentucky	$91,158
24	New Jersey	$100,741
25	Maryland	$101,378
26	Pennsylvania	$90,492
27	Idaho	$93,137
28	California	$97,277
29	Illinois	$91,776
30	Arizona	$90,046
31	Nevada	$89,847
32	Wisconsin	$85,068
33	Virginia	$88,286
34	Iowa	$87,494
35	Missouri	$86,368
36	Colorado	$88,200
37	North Carolina	$84,813
38	Alabama	$81,198
39	Indiana	$82,979
40	Kansas	$84,799
41	Nebraska	$85,224
42	Hawaii	$88,773
43	Rhode Island	$85,291
44	Oklahoma	$71,365
45	Minnesota	$83,474
46	Wyoming	$81,732
47	Florida	$79,491
48	Delaware	$83,330
49	District of Columbia	$82,102
50	Tennessee	$73,071
51	Georgia	$73,888

Director of photography best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for directors of photography?

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Director Of Photography
Best states for Directors Of Photography

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total director of photography jobs:	3
Average annual salary:	$121,568
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$84,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$174,000
Location Quotient:	0.02

Best states for a director of photography

10 best states for directors of photography in 2025

1. New York

2. Texas

3. Alaska

4. Michigan

5. New Mexico

6. Montana

7. West Virginia

8. Arkansas

9. New Hampshire

10. Louisiana