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Best states for a lead photographer
Quoted expert
Susan McSpadden
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to lead photographer jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. In fact, our research shows that Utah is the best state for lead photographers in America. The best city in America for lead photographers with the highest pay is Syracuse, NY.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for lead photographers. Utah is the best state for lead photographers, where the median salary is $38,249.We found that the South is best for lead photographers, and the Northeast is the worst. Syracuse, NY is the best city in the country for lead photographer jobs, where as Utah is the best state in the country.
10 best states for lead photographers in 2025
1. Utah
Total lead photographer jobs: 476 Average annual salary: $38,249 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 4.822. New Hampshire
Total lead photographer jobs: 239 Average annual salary: $39,404 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 4.413. Alaska
Total lead photographer jobs: 104 Average annual salary: $40,140 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 4.024. Wyoming
Total lead photographer jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $36,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 4.595. Connecticut
Total lead photographer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $43,991 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.096. New York
Total lead photographer jobs: 23 Average annual salary: $60,660 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.067. Vermont
Total lead photographer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $40,792 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.088. West Virginia
Total lead photographer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $40,932 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.069. Kentucky
Total lead photographer jobs: 403 Average annual salary: $35,408 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 3.5310. California
Total lead photographer jobs: 54 Average annual salary: $43,602 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.06
Lead photographer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a lead photographer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a lead photographer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $38,249 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 476 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $39,404 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 239 |
| 3 | Alaska | $40,140 | $29,000 | 739,795 | 104 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $36,481 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 85 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $43,991 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 9 |
| 6 | New York | $60,660 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 23 |
| 7 | Vermont | $40,792 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 2 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $40,932 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 3 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $35,408 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 403 |
| 10 | California | $43,602 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 54 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $42,719 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 7 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $40,168 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 6 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $34,782 | $19,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,465 |
| 14 | Illinois | $37,603 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 36 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $35,357 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 180 |
| 16 | Idaho | $34,116 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 201 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $39,113 | $22,000 | 9,005,644 | 15 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $32,593 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 275 |
| 19 | Maryland | $38,765 | $21,000 | 6,052,177 | 23 |
| 20 | Maine | $36,748 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 1 |
| 21 | Ohio | $31,371 | $18,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,248 |
| 22 | Virginia | $37,573 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 19 |
| 23 | Kansas | $32,484 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 281 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $34,644 | $22,000 | 5,795,483 | 9 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $35,352 | $25,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 26 | Michigan | $31,057 | $18,000 | 9,962,311 | 909 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $31,099 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 680 |
| 28 | Washington | $35,639 | $24,000 | 7,405,743 | 7 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $31,281 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 99 |
| 30 | Montana | $31,418 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 132 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $31,559 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 201 |
| 32 | Texas | $33,038 | $21,000 | 28,304,596 | 39 |
| 33 | Oregon | $32,491 | $21,000 | 4,142,776 | 13 |
| 34 | Alabama | $30,813 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 18 |
| 35 | Colorado | $34,603 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 4 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $30,244 | $21,000 | 1,427,538 | 97 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $26,961 | $15,000 | 1,059,639 | 159 |
| 38 | Arizona | $30,344 | $19,000 | 7,016,270 | 13 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $29,825 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 4 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $27,583 | $15,000 | 693,972 | 8 |
| 41 | Nevada | $23,840 | $15,000 | 2,998,039 | 271 |
| 42 | Indiana | $30,188 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 5 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $25,965 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 288 |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,422 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 18 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $27,891 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 29 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $27,757 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 16 |
| 47 | Delaware | $28,748 | $16,000 | 961,939 | 2 |
| 48 | Missouri | $23,345 | $15,000 | 6,113,532 | 613 |
| 49 | Florida | $24,454 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 45 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $26,946 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 3 |
| 51 | Iowa | $23,199 | $15,000 | 3,145,711 | 3 |
Highest paying states for lead photographers
| Rank | State | Avg. Lead Photographer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $38,249 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $39,404 |
| 3 | Alaska | $40,140 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $36,481 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $43,991 |
| 6 | New York | $60,660 |
| 7 | Vermont | $40,792 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $40,932 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $35,408 |
| 10 | California | $43,602 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $42,719 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $40,168 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $34,782 |
| 14 | Illinois | $37,603 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $35,357 |
| 16 | Idaho | $34,116 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $39,113 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $32,593 |
| 19 | Maryland | $38,765 |
| 20 | Maine | $36,748 |
| 21 | Ohio | $31,371 |
| 22 | Virginia | $37,573 |
| 23 | Kansas | $32,484 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $34,644 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $35,352 |
| 26 | Michigan | $31,057 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $31,099 |
| 28 | Washington | $35,639 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $31,281 |
| 30 | Montana | $31,418 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $31,559 |
| 32 | Texas | $33,038 |
| 33 | Oregon | $32,491 |
| 34 | Alabama | $30,813 |
| 35 | Colorado | $34,603 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $30,244 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $26,961 |
| 38 | Arizona | $30,344 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $29,825 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $27,583 |
| 41 | Nevada | $23,840 |
| 42 | Indiana | $30,188 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $25,965 |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,422 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $27,891 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $27,757 |
| 47 | Delaware | $28,748 |
| 48 | Missouri | $23,345 |
| 49 | Florida | $24,454 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $26,946 |
| 51 | Iowa | $23,199 |
Expert opinions on the best states for lead photographers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for lead photographers to find work opportunities?
Susan McSpadden
Marketing Photographer, Johnson County Community College
I don't think there are specific places in the U.S. that are better for photography professions. Photography is needed everywhere, so I think just finding places that aren't already saturated with photographers is the key.
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Updated January 8, 2025