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Photo editor salary
Average photo editor salary
$63,168
Average Photo Editor Salary
The photo editor salary in the United States averages $63,168 annually. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, photo editors in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living. Additionally, photo editors working in specialized sectors such as advertising or fashion may command higher salaries compared to those in less competitive fields.
Where Can Photo Editors Earn More?
States such as California and New York consistently rank among the highest-paying locations for photo editors. The demand for skilled editors in these areas leads to increased compensation packages. Other high-paying states include Texas and Florida, where the entertainment and tourism industries contribute to job availability and salary growth.
Photo Editor Salary Estimates
Photo editors can also find lucrative opportunities in various industries, with the highest salaries typically found in media, advertising, and publishing. By advancing their skills and gaining experience, photo editors can enhance their earning potential and career prospects.
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Where can a Photo Editor earn more?
Photo editor salary estimates from across the web
Average photo editor salary by state
The average photo editor salary in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average photo editor salary states are Iowa, Montana, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for photo editors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $92,627 | $44.53 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $82,564 | $39.69 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $80,786 | $38.84 |
| 4 | Virginia | $73,657 | $35.41 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $75,584 | $36.34 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $65,011 | $31.26 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $67,227 | $32.32 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $79,236 | $38.09 |
| 9 | Michigan | $62,717 | $30.15 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $74,227 | $35.69 |
| 11 | Vermont | $65,778 | $31.62 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $68,619 | $32.99 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $65,388 | $31.44 |
| 14 | California | $61,378 | $29.51 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $60,166 | $28.93 |
| 16 | Maine | $64,936 | $31.22 |
| 17 | Washington | $61,796 | $29.71 |
| 18 | Georgia | $60,052 | $28.87 |
| 19 | Delaware | $63,635 | $30.59 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $63,706 | $30.63 |
| 21 | Nevada | $59,411 | $28.56 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $57,406 | $27.60 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $62,026 | $29.82 |
| 24 | Colorado | $58,936 | $28.33 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $60,394 | $29.04 |
| 26 | Illinois | $59,208 | $28.47 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $55,781 | $26.82 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $57,531 | $27.66 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $52,495 | $25.24 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $57,773 | $27.78 |
| 31 | Alabama | $53,867 | $25.90 |
| 32 | Arizona | $57,980 | $27.88 |
| 33 | Maryland | $53,541 | $25.74 |
| 34 | Idaho | $58,390 | $28.07 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $53,056 | $25.51 |
| 36 | Ohio | $54,178 | $26.05 |
| 37 | Texas | $51,414 | $24.72 |
| 38 | Oregon | $46,106 | $22.17 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $54,239 | $26.08 |
| 40 | Florida | $46,255 | $22.24 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,759 | $20.56 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $45,146 | $21.70 |
| 43 | Alaska | $36,884 | $17.73 |
| 44 | Missouri | $41,252 | $19.83 |
| 45 | Indiana | $49,077 | $23.59 |
| 46 | Iowa | $42,004 | $20.19 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $42,038 | $20.21 |
| 48 | Kansas | $42,728 | $20.54 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $37,204 | $17.89 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $38,719 | $18.61 |
| 51 | Montana | $41,675 | $20.04 |
Highest paying cities for photo editors
The highest-paying cities for photo editors are New York, NY, Norwalk, CT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $92,753 | $44.59 |
| 2 | Norwalk, CT | $82,630 | $39.73 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $75,671 | $36.38 |
| 4 | Ashburn, VA | $74,236 | $35.69 |
| 5 | Easton, PA | $65,320 | $31.40 |
| 6 | Newport, RI | $63,929 | $30.74 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $63,503 | $30.53 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $58,804 | $28.27 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,026 | $27.90 |
| 10 | Cheyenne, WY | $54,358 | $26.13 |
| 11 | Paris, TX | $49,454 | $23.78 |
| 12 | Miami, FL | $46,189 | $22.21 |
Photo editor salary details
A photo editor's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $104,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a photo editor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| Average | $63,168 | $5,264 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying photo editor jobs
The highest paying types of photo editors are senior editor, managing editor, and copy editor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Videographer | $43,620 | $3,635 | $20.97 | 1,267 |
| Video Producer | $58,612 | $4,884 | $28.18 | 10,484 |
| News Producer | $54,608 | $4,551 | $26.25 | 11,336 |
| Freelance Videographer/Editor | $48,481 | $4,040 | $23.31 | 5,409 |
| Freelance Photographer | $42,949 | $3,579 | $20.65 | 1,766 |
| Editor & Producer | $50,200 | $4,183 | $24.13 | 14,409 |
Top companies hiring photo editors now:
Which companies pay photo editors the most?
Photo editor salaries at Apple and Earthjustice are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average photo editor salary at companies like Vox Media and Altice USA are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $134,665 | $64.74 |
| 2 | Earthjustice | $124,117 | $59.67 |
| 3 | Vox Media | $115,233 | $55.40 |
| 4 | Altice USA | $112,161 | $53.92 |
| 5 | Yale University | $110,156 | $52.96 |
| 6 | The New York Times Company | $103,734 | $49.87 |
| 7 | Intel | $100,755 | $48.44 |
| 8 | THINX | $94,188 | $45.28 |
| 9 | Travelzoo | $84,982 | $40.86 |
| 10 | Dow Jones | $82,562 | $39.69 |
| 11 | NBCUniversal | $82,400 | $39.62 |
| 12 | Alcon | $77,081 | $37.06 |
| 13 | WWE | $76,968 | $37.00 |
| 14 | Warner Bros. | $75,646 | $36.37 |
| 15 | Art Media Holdings | $69,745 | $33.53 |
| 16 | BDG Media | $66,296 | $31.87 |
| 17 | GoodRx | $64,615 | $31.06 |
| 18 | WarnerMedia | $63,956 | $30.75 |
| 19 | U.S. News | $62,903 | $30.24 |
| 20 | Upper Deck | $60,143 | $28.91 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Photo Editor salary by industry
The average photo editor salary varies across industries:
- The average photo editor salary in the professional industry is $68,080, the highest of any industry.
- The average photo editor salary in the finance industry is $65,804.
- Photo editors in the media industry earn an average salary of $59,585, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for photo editors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $68,080 | $32.73 |
| 2 | Technology | $65,804 | $31.64 |
| 3 | Retail | $61,757 | $29.69 |
| 4 | Media | $59,585 | $28.65 |
High paying photo editor jobs
Photo editor salary trends
The average photo editor salary has risen by $10,979 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average photo editor earned $52,189 annually, but today, they earn $63,168 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for photo editors over the last decade.
Compare photo editor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average photo editor salary over time
Compare photo editor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Photo editor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $63,200 | $30.37 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $61,100 | $29.40 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $59,300 | $28.49 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $58,600 | $28.15 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $57,000 | $27.40 | +2.1% |
Recently added photo editor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New York Times Company | Deputy Photo Editor, New York Times Magazine | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $130,000 |
| Dmg | Senior Photo Editor | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $75,000 |
| NYP Holdings | Photo Editor | New York, NY | 06/13/2025 | $62,610 |
| Retail Marketing Pro | Photo Editor | League City, TX | 06/10/2025 | $45,914 |
| New York Post | SR. Photo Editor | New York, NY | 05/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Travelzoo | Photo Editor | New York, NY | 05/27/2025 | $70,000 |
| Realtor.com | SR. Photo Editor | New York, NY | 05/07/2025 | $95,000 |
| Realtor.com Careers | SR. Photo Editor | Fine, NY | 05/07/2025 | $95,000 |
| Conde Nast | Associate Photo Editor, The New Yorker | New York, NY | 05/04/2025 | $72,000 |
| Conde Nast | Associate Photo Editor, The New Yorker | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $72,000 |
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