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Best states for a photo editor
Quoted expert
Catherine Nesci
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for photo editors? 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 photo editor jobs.Our research shows that New York is the best state in the country for photo editors.
New York is the best state for jobs for photo editors, and Montana is the worst. The most common pay in New York is $92,627, while the median pay in Montana is $41,675.We found that the Midwest is best for photo editors, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for photo editor jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for photo editors in 2026
1. New York
Total photo editor jobs: 824 Average annual salary: $92,627 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 3.28
2. Connecticut
Total photo editor jobs: 80 Average annual salary: $82,564 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
3. Massachusetts
Total photo editor jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $80,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
4. Virginia
Total photo editor jobs: 228 Average annual salary: $73,657 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
5. District of Columbia
Total photo editor jobs: 161 Average annual salary: $75,584 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 4.9
6. Pennsylvania
Total photo editor jobs: 212 Average annual salary: $65,011 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
7. West Virginia
Total photo editor jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $67,227 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
8. New Hampshire
Total photo editor jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $79,236 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 0.47
9. Michigan
Total photo editor jobs: 127 Average annual salary: $62,717 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
10. New Jersey
Total photo editor jobs: 101 Average annual salary: $74,227 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
Photo editor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a photo editor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a photo editor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $92,627 | $55,000 | 19,849,399 | 824 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $82,564 | $49,000 | 3,588,184 | 80 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $80,786 | $48,000 | 6,859,819 | 170 |
| 4 | Virginia | $73,657 | $43,000 | 8,470,020 | 228 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $75,584 | $44,000 | 693,972 | 161 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $65,011 | $38,000 | 12,805,537 | 212 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $67,227 | $40,000 | 1,815,857 | 22 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $79,236 | $47,000 | 1,342,795 | 16 |
| 9 | Michigan | $62,717 | $37,000 | 9,962,311 | 127 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $74,227 | $44,000 | 9,005,644 | 101 |
| 11 | Vermont | $65,778 | $39,000 | 623,657 | 11 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $68,619 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 71 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $65,388 | $41,000 | 755,393 | 11 |
| 14 | California | $61,378 | $36,000 | 39,536,653 | 763 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $60,166 | $35,000 | 10,273,419 | 149 |
| 16 | Maine | $64,936 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 13 |
| 17 | Washington | $61,796 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 121 |
| 18 | Georgia | $60,052 | $35,000 | 10,429,379 | 174 |
| 19 | Delaware | $63,635 | $37,000 | 961,939 | 16 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $63,706 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 11 |
| 21 | Nevada | $59,411 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 31 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $57,406 | $34,000 | 6,715,984 | 96 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $62,026 | $37,000 | 4,454,189 | 30 |
| 24 | Colorado | $58,936 | $37,000 | 5,607,154 | 103 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $60,394 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 22 |
| 26 | Illinois | $59,208 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 185 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $55,781 | $33,000 | 3,004,279 | 40 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $57,531 | $35,000 | 3,930,864 | 41 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $52,495 | $45,000 | 1,427,538 | 17 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $57,773 | $33,000 | 5,024,369 | 60 |
| 31 | Alabama | $53,867 | $31,000 | 4,874,747 | 72 |
| 32 | Arizona | $57,980 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 79 |
| 33 | Maryland | $53,541 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 128 |
| 34 | Idaho | $58,390 | $35,000 | 1,716,943 | 18 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $53,056 | $32,000 | 5,795,483 | 90 |
| 36 | Ohio | $54,178 | $32,000 | 11,658,609 | 138 |
| 37 | Texas | $51,414 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 334 |
| 38 | Oregon | $46,106 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 101 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $54,239 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 8 |
| 40 | Florida | $46,255 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 280 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,759 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 65 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $45,146 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 49 |
| 43 | Alaska | $36,884 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 20 |
| 44 | Missouri | $41,252 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 91 |
| 45 | Indiana | $49,077 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 52 |
| 46 | Iowa | $42,004 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 51 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $42,038 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 11 |
| 48 | Kansas | $42,728 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 26 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $37,204 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 32 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $38,719 | $22,000 | 2,984,100 | 28 |
| 51 | Montana | $41,675 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 9 |
Highest paying states for photo editors
| Rank | State | Avg. Photo Editor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $92,627 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $82,564 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $80,786 |
| 4 | Virginia | $73,657 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $75,584 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $65,011 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $67,227 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $79,236 |
| 9 | Michigan | $62,717 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $74,227 |
| 11 | Vermont | $65,778 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $68,619 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $65,388 |
| 14 | California | $61,378 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $60,166 |
| 16 | Maine | $64,936 |
| 17 | Washington | $61,796 |
| 18 | Georgia | $60,052 |
| 19 | Delaware | $63,635 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $63,706 |
| 21 | Nevada | $59,411 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $57,406 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $62,026 |
| 24 | Colorado | $58,936 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $60,394 |
| 26 | Illinois | $59,208 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $55,781 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $57,531 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $52,495 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $57,773 |
| 31 | Alabama | $53,867 |
| 32 | Arizona | $57,980 |
| 33 | Maryland | $53,541 |
| 34 | Idaho | $58,390 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $53,056 |
| 36 | Ohio | $54,178 |
| 37 | Texas | $51,414 |
| 38 | Oregon | $46,106 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $54,239 |
| 40 | Florida | $46,255 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,759 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $45,146 |
| 43 | Alaska | $36,884 |
| 44 | Missouri | $41,252 |
| 45 | Indiana | $49,077 |
| 46 | Iowa | $42,004 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $42,038 |
| 48 | Kansas | $42,728 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $37,204 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $38,719 |
| 51 | Montana | $41,675 |
Expert opinions on the best states for photo editors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for photo editors to find work opportunities?
Catherine Nesci
Professor of French & Comparative Literature; Affiliate in Feminist Studies, University of California
The French, Italian, and Portuguese opportunities are diminishing and will continue doing so, despite the importance of French in a continent like Africa. Yet, Spanish will continue being more prominent, but online teaching will decrease job prospects.
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Updated January 8, 2025