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Freelance Photographer Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a freelance photographer. Freelance photographers usually study photography, graphic design, or fine arts. 69% of freelance photographers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 11,451 real freelance photographer resumes to see exactly what freelance photographer education sections show.

The most common colleges for freelance photographers are the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

There are also many online freelance photographer courses to help get the education required to be a freelance photographer.

There are certain freelance photographer certifications that you should consider. These freelance photographer certifications include Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) and Forensic Photography & Imaging Certification.

What education do you need to become a freelance photographer?

What degree do you need to be a freelance photographer?

The most common degree for freelance photographers is bachelor's degree, with 69% of freelance photographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 69%
  • Associate, 18%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Master's, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a freelance photographer?

You should major in photography to become a freelance photographer. 36% of freelance photographers major in photography. Other common majors for a freelance photographer include graphic design and fine arts.

Most common colleges for freelance photographers

Freelance photographers often get their degrees at Savannah College of Art and Design, Columbia College Chicago, and School of Visual Arts. Here are the most common colleges for freelance photographers in the US based on their resumes.
Freelance Photographer Common CollegePercentages
Savannah College of Art and Design9.34%
Columbia College Chicago7.82%
School of Visual Arts7.71%
Rochester Institute of Technology7.06%
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh6.84%

Best majors for freelance photographers

RankMajorPercentages
1Photography35.8%
2Graphic Design11.4%
3Fine Arts9.3%
4Communication8.2%
5Business5.8%

Best colleges for freelance photographers

The best colleges for freelance photographers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A freelance photographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for freelance photographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become freelance photographers.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

20 best online courses for freelance photographers

Advertising Disclosure

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The Best Online Professional Photography Class: How to Take Amazing Photos for Beginners & Advanced Photographers...

6. Long Exposure Photography: Shoot Your Own Stunning Photos

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Quick start long exposure course. You can capture beautiful photographs with your DSLR, mirrorless and i Phone cameras...

7. Adobe Photoshop CC For Photographers

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An essential Photoshop course for all photographers. Learn how to edit and manipulate your images with Photoshop CC...

8. Nikon Camera Photography: Getting Started with Your Nikon

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Top 10 most affordable universities for freelance photographers

The most affordable schools for freelance photographers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for freelance photographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for freelance photographers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,240

Cost of Attendance

13,991

4. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,210

Cost of Attendance

14,359

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

6. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,740

Cost of Attendance

17,864

7. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

8. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,338

Cost of Attendance

14,281

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,749

Cost of Attendance

14,823

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,656

Cost of Attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for freelance photographers

The hardest universities for freelance photographers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for freelance photographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for freelance photographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

5%

SAT Average

1,520

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

17%

SAT Average

1,507

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

19%

SAT Average

1,466

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

6%

SAT Average

1,512

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

4%

SAT Average

1,497

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for freelance photographers

The easiest schools for freelance photographers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and cardinal stritch university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a freelance photographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for freelance photographers.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

3. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions Rate

71%

SAT Average

1,035

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

98%

SAT Average

1,003

5. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

93%

SAT Average

1,026

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,006

8. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions Rate

92%

SAT Average

1,060

9. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

994

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

Average freelance photographer salary by education level

Freelance photographers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $45,664 annually. With a Associate degree, freelance photographers earn a median annual income of $42,899 compared to $41,390 for freelance photographers with an High School Diploma degree.
Freelance Photographer education levelFreelance Photographer salary
High School Diploma or Less$41,390
Bachelor's Degree$45,664
Some College/ Associate Degree$42,899

Freelance Photographer Education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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