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Industrial photographer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an industrial photographer. Industrial photographers usually study photography, management, or general studies. 58% of industrial photographers hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 26 real industrial photographer resumes to see exactly what industrial photographer education sections show.
The most common colleges for industrial photographers are the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
There are also many online industrial photographer courses to help get the education required to be an industrial photographer.
What education do you need to become an industrial photographer?
What degree do you need to be an industrial photographer?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Associate, 33%
- High School Diploma, 8%
What should I major in to become an industrial photographer?
- Photography, 41%
- Management, 12%
- General Studies, 12%
- Other Majors, 29%
Most common colleges for industrial photographers
| Industrial photographer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 25.00% |
| Villanova University | 12.50% |
| Foothill College | 12.50% |
| Lesley University | 12.50% |
| School of Visual Arts | 12.50% |
Best majors for industrial photographers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 41.2% |
| 2 | Management | 11.8% |
| 3 | General Studies | 11.8% |
| 4 | Journalism And Mass Communications | 5.9% |
| 5 | Advertising | 5.9% |
Best colleges for industrial photographers
The best colleges for industrial photographers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
An industrial 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 industrial 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 industrial 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
20 best online courses for industrial photographers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for industrial photographers
The most affordable schools for industrial 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 industrial 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 industrial 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. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
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 industrial photographers
The hardest universities for industrial photographers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for industrial 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 industrial 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for industrial photographers
The easiest schools for industrial 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 an industrial 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 industrial 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. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average industrial photographer salary by education level
| Industrial photographer education level | Industrial photographer salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $70,497 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $101,636 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $80,546 |
Industrial photographer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025