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The differences between photography assistants and lead 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 photography assistant and a lead photographer. Additionally, a photography assistant has an average salary of $94,147, which is higher than the $35,976 average annual salary of a lead photographer.
The top three skills for a photography assistant include adobe photoshop, photo shoots and video production. The most important skills for a lead photographer are adobe photoshop, photographic equipment, and portrait photography.
| Photography Assistant | Lead Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,147 | $35,976 |
| Hourly rate | $45.26 | $17.30 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 6,155 | 6,644 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Photography assistants and lead photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Photography Assistant | Lead Photographer | |
| Average salary | $94,147 | $35,976 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $503,000 | Between $22,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | Syracuse University |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a photography assistant and a lead photographer in terms of educational background:
| Photography Assistant | Lead Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Photography | Photography |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between photography assistants' and lead photographers' demographics:
| Photography Assistant | Lead Photographer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% | Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |