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Photographic technician vs staff photographer

The differences between photographic technicians and staff photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a photographic technician and a staff photographer. Additionally, a photographic technician has an average salary of $49,830, which is higher than the $37,094 average annual salary of a staff photographer.

The top three skills for a photographic technician include digital photography, adobe photoshop and lightroom. The most important skills for a staff photographer are product photography, adobe photoshop, and event coverage.

Photographic technician vs staff photographer overview

Photographic TechnicianStaff Photographer
Yearly salary$49,830$37,094
Hourly rate$23.96$17.83
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs24,99269,695
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age3939
Years of experience22

Photographic technician vs staff photographer salary

Photographic technicians and staff photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Photographic TechnicianStaff Photographer
Average salary$49,830$37,094
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $79,000Between $21,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between photographic technician and staff photographer education

There are a few differences between a photographic technician and a staff photographer in terms of educational background:

Photographic TechnicianStaff Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityHarvard University

Photographic technician vs staff photographer demographics

Here are the differences between photographic technicians' and staff photographers' demographics:

Photographic TechnicianStaff Photographer
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 66.4% Female, 33.6%Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between photographic technician and staff photographer duties and responsibilities

Photographic technician example responsibilities.

  • Work with Sony sales reps to achieve goals and account management.
  • Cash register operation and general POS usage.
  • Train to refuel helicopters in a combat situation.
  • Acquire imagery in control, uncontrol, and combat environments.
  • Maintain managerial duties such as budgeting, payroll and attend weekly & monthly meetings.
  • Assemble brochures from customer specifications, using Macintosh graphics software.
  • Show more

Staff photographer example responsibilities.

  • Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
  • Operate specialized camera equipment, including DSLR cameras and lenses, as well as video lighting.
  • Contribute to website and Facebook pages, keeping followers inform about local news and events between weekly papers.
  • Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.
  • Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.

Photographic technician vs staff photographer skills

Common photographic technician skills
  • Digital Photography, 37%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 28%
  • Lightroom, 16%
  • Video Cameras, 10%
  • Photographic Equipment, 4%
  • Film Processors, 3%
Common staff photographer skills
  • Product Photography, 33%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 28%
  • Event Coverage, 5%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 4%
  • Photo Shoots, 2%
  • Art Directors, 2%

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