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Lead photographer demographics and statistics in the US

Lead photographer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates lead photographer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our lead photographer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about lead photographers after extensive research and analysis:

  • There are over 21,379 lead photographers currently employed in the United States.
  • 51.8% of all lead photographers are women, while 48.2% are men.
  • The average lead photographer age is 39 years old.
  • The most common ethnicity of lead photographers is White (65.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.1%), Asian (7.0%) and Black or African American (6.3%).
  • Lead photographers are most in-demand in Bryan, TX.
  • The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for lead photographers.
  • Syracuse, NY pays an annual average wage of $56,230, the highest in the US.
  • In 2022, women lead photographers earned 91% of what men earned.
  • 11% of all lead photographers are LGBT.
  • Utah is the best state for lead photographers to live.
  • Lead photographers are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Lead photographer demographics by:

Lead photographer gender statistics

51.8% of lead photographers are women and 48.2% of lead photographers are men.
  • Female, 51.8%
  • Male, 48.2%

Lead photographer gender ratio

GenderPercentages
Female51.8%
Male48.2%

Lead photographer gender pay gap

Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men

male-income
Male income
$37,481
female-income
Female income
$34,000

Lead photographer gender ratio over time

This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lead photographer positions over time. Currently, 51.8% of lead photographers are female.
Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Lead photographer gender ratio by year

YearMaleFemale
201047.21%52.79%
201147.16%52.84%
201245.86%54.14%
201344.13%55.87%
201446.97%53.03%
201550.20%49.80%
201651.08%48.92%
201750.41%49.59%
201849.25%50.75%
201945.36%54.64%
202041.90%58.10%
202148.19%51.81%

Lead photographer related jobs gender ratio

We compared lead 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 titleMaleFemale
Photographer Helper18%82%
Studio Associate23%77%
Photography Internship30%70%
Lead Photographer48%52%
News Cameraman95%5%
Audio Installer95%5%
Broadcast Maintenance Engineer98%2%

Lead photographer demographics by race

The most common ethnicity among lead photographers is White, which makes up 65.7% of all lead photographers. Comparatively, 15.1% of lead photographers are Hispanic or Latino and 7.0% of lead photographers are Asian.
  • White, 65.7%
  • Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
  • Asian, 7.0%
  • Black or African American, 6.3%
  • Unknown, 5.7%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%

Lead photographer race

Lead photographer racePercentages
White65.7%
Hispanic or Latino15.1%
Asian7.0%
Black or African American6.3%
Unknown5.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%

Lead photographer race and ethnicity over time

See how lead photographer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.

Lead photographer race and ethnicity by year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201073.47%6.39%4.64%13.45%
201175.04%5.72%4.33%11.95%
201272.57%5.74%4.27%13.95%
201373.00%5.82%4.87%13.03%
201473.23%5.57%5.10%12.68%
201572.08%6.24%4.81%13.71%
201672.82%4.31%5.22%14.21%
201772.84%6.14%4.40%13.62%
201870.26%6.32%5.75%14.78%
201972.10%5.58%5.46%13.64%
202070.28%5.02%5.42%13.98%
202165.73%6.29%6.99%15.06%

Lead photographer wage gap by race

According to our data, white lead photographers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american lead photographers have the lowest average salary at $36,718.
$39,000
$38,000
$37,000
$36,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$37,830
White$38,318
Black or African American$36,718
Asian$37,477
Hispanic or Latino$37,085

Average lead photographer age

See how the average age of lead photographers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female

Lead photographer age by race and gender

RaceMale ageFemale age
Unknown3430
White4334
Black or African American33
Asian35
Hispanic or Latino3833

Lead photographer age breakdown

The average age of lead photographers is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the lead photographer population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Lead photographer age breakdown

Lead Photographer YearsPercentages
40+ years44%
30-40 years33%
20-30 years23%

Lead photographer educational attainment

The most common degree for lead photographers is bachelor's degree, with 63% of lead photographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 63%
  • Associate, 20%
  • High School Diploma, 9%
  • Master's, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

Lead photographers by degree level

Lead photographer degreePercentages
Bachelor's63%
Associate20%
High School Diploma9%
Master's4%
Other Degrees4%

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Lead photographer wage gap by degree level

According to the data, lead photographers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $38,945 annually. With a Associate degree, lead photographers earn a median annual income of $35,921 compared to $34,295 for lead photographers with an High School Diploma degree.
$40,000
$39,000
$38,000
$37,000
$36,000
$35,000
$34,000
High School Diploma or Less
Bachelor's Degree
Some College/ Associate Degree
EducationSalary
High School Diploma or Less$34,295
Bachelor's Degree$38,945
Some College/ Associate Degree$35,921

Lead photographer employment statistics

Most lead photographers work for a private in the retail industry.

Company size where lead photographers work

Below, you can see the size of companies where lead photographers work.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Lead photographer jobs by employer size

Company sizePercentages
< 50 employees9%
50 - 100 employees19%
100 - 500 employees23%
500 - 1,000 employees12%
1,000 - 10,000 employees22%
> 10,000 employees14%

Lead photographer jobs by company type

Employees with the lead photographer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lead photographers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Lead photographer jobs by sector

Company typePercentages
Education12%
Public16%
Private70%
Government2%

Lead photographer jobs by industry

The most common industries for lead photographers are retail, professional and education.

Retail

Professional

Education

Media

Manufacturing

Lead photographer turnover and employment statistics

Lead photographer unemployment rate over time

The unemployment rate for lead photographers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Lead photographer unemployment rate by year

YearLead photographer unemployment rate
201012.20%
201112.90%
201210.02%
201311.78%
20148.02%
20158.68%
20166.42%
20176.80%
20186.68%
20194.40%
202012.28%
202113.40%

Average lead photographer tenure

The average lead photographer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,185 lead photographers resumes in Zippia's database.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Lead photographer tenure statistics

Number of yearsPercentages
Less than 1 year14%
1-2 years26%
3-4 years12%
5-7 years18%
8-10 years11%
11+ years19%

Lead photographer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs

Review the percent of lead photographers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job titleLGBTJob openings
Master Control Supervisor5.55%39,697
News Cameraman7.31%7,059
Lead Photographer11.17%-
Social Media Editor11.70%37,769
Web Designer12.14%50,899
Design Consultant17.34%59,470
Actor23.07%218

Similar lead photographer jobs LGBT demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job openings
Master Control Supervisor5.55%39,697
News Cameraman7.31%7,059
Social Media Editor11.70%37,769
Web Designer12.14%50,899
Design Consultant17.34%59,470
Actor23.07%218

Foreign languages spoken by lead photographers

The most common foreign language among lead photographers is Spanish at 45.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.1% and German is the third-most popular at 4.9%.
  • Spanish, 45.7%
  • French, 11.1%
  • German, 4.9%
  • Italian, 4.9%
  • Japanese, 4.9%
  • Other, 28.5%

Lead photographer languages spoken

Foreign languagePercentages
Spanish45.7%
French11.1%
German4.9%
Italian4.9%
Japanese4.9%
Other28.5%

Lead photographer jobs

Lead photographer location demographics

Where do lead photographers earn the most?

Lead photographers earn the most in New York, where the average lead photographer salary is $60,660. The map here shows where lead photographers earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average salary

Which city has the most Lead Photographers?

By looking through more than 2,185 resumes, we found that the most popular places for lead photographers are New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA.
Number of Lead Photographers

Lead photographer jobs by state

RankStateNumber of jobsAverage salary
1Pennsylvania1,465$34,782
2Ohio1,248$31,371
3Michigan909$31,057
4Tennessee680$31,099
5Missouri613$23,345
6Utah476$38,249
7Kentucky403$35,408
8Oklahoma288$25,965
9Kansas281$32,484
10Arkansas275$32,593
11Nevada271$23,840
12New Hampshire239$39,404
13Idaho201$34,116
14Nebraska201$31,559
15New Mexico180$35,357
16Rhode Island159$26,961
17Montana132$31,418
18Alaska104$40,140
19South Dakota99$31,281
20Hawaii97$30,244
21Wyoming85$36,481
22California54$43,602
23Florida45$24,454
24Texas39$33,038
25Illinois36$37,603
26North Carolina29$27,891
27New York23$60,660
28Maryland23$38,765
29Virginia19$37,573
30Alabama18$30,813
31Georgia18$30,422
32South Carolina16$27,757
33New Jersey15$39,113
34Oregon13$32,491
35Arizona13$30,344
36Connecticut9$43,991
37Wisconsin9$34,644
38District of Columbia8$27,583
39Massachusetts7$42,719
40Washington7$35,639
41Minnesota6$40,168
42Indiana5$30,188
43Colorado4$34,603
44Mississippi4$29,825
45West Virginia3$40,932
46Louisiana3$26,946
47Iowa3$23,199
48Vermont2$40,792
49Delaware2$28,748
50Maine1$36,748
51North Dakota0$35,352

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