Portrait photographer demographics and statistics in the US
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Portrait photographer demographics by:
Portrait photographer gender statistics
61.3% of portrait photographers are women and 38.7% of portrait photographers are men.
- Female, 61.3%
- Male, 38.7%
Portrait photographer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 61.3% |
| Male | 38.7% |
Portrait photographer gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$28,820
Female income
$26,291
Portrait photographer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in portrait photographer positions over time. Currently, 61.3% of portrait photographers are female.
Portrait photographer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.81% | 62.19% |
| 2011 | 37.76% | 62.24% |
| 2012 | 36.55% | 63.45% |
| 2013 | 34.94% | 65.06% |
| 2014 | 37.58% | 62.42% |
| 2015 | 40.66% | 59.34% |
| 2016 | 41.51% | 58.49% |
| 2017 | 40.87% | 59.13% |
| 2018 | 39.75% | 60.25% |
| 2019 | 36.08% | 63.92% |
| 2020 | 32.90% | 67.10% |
| 2021 | 38.74% | 61.26% |
Portrait photographer related jobs gender ratio
We compared portrait 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 title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer Helper | 18% | 82% |
| Studio Associate | 23% | 77% |
| Photography Internship | 30% | 70% |
| Portrait Photographer | 39% | 61% |
| News Cameraman | 95% | 5% |
| Audio Installer | 95% | 5% |
| Broadcast Maintenance Engineer | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Portrait photographer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among portrait photographers is White, which makes up 65.6% of all portrait photographers. Comparatively, 15.1% of portrait photographers are Hispanic or Latino and 7.0% of portrait photographers are Asian.
- White, 65.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Portrait photographer race
| Portrait photographer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.1% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Portrait photographer race and ethnicity over time
See how portrait photographer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Portrait photographer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.35% | 6.41% | 4.66% | 13.53% |
| 2011 | 74.92% | 5.74% | 4.34% | 12.03% |
| 2012 | 72.45% | 5.77% | 4.29% | 14.03% |
| 2013 | 72.88% | 5.84% | 4.89% | 13.11% |
| 2014 | 73.10% | 5.60% | 5.11% | 12.76% |
| 2015 | 71.96% | 6.26% | 4.83% | 13.78% |
| 2016 | 72.69% | 4.33% | 5.24% | 14.29% |
| 2017 | 72.72% | 6.16% | 4.41% | 13.69% |
| 2018 | 70.13% | 6.34% | 5.77% | 14.86% |
| 2019 | 71.98% | 5.60% | 5.48% | 13.72% |
| 2020 | 70.15% | 5.04% | 5.44% | 14.05% |
| 2021 | 65.61% | 6.31% | 7.01% | 15.14% |
Portrait photographer wage gap by race
According to our data, white portrait photographers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american portrait photographers have the lowest average salary at $28,266.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $29,072 |
| White | $29,425 |
| Black or African American | $28,266 |
| Asian | $28,816 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $28,532 |
Average portrait photographer age
See how the average age of portrait photographers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Portrait photographer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34 | 30 |
| White | 43 | 34 |
| Black or African American | 33 | |
| Asian | 35 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 33 |
Portrait photographer age breakdown
The average age of portrait photographers is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the portrait photographer population.
Portrait photographer age breakdown
| Portrait Photographer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Portrait photographer educational attainment
The most common degree for portrait photographers is bachelor's degree, with 59% of portrait photographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Portrait photographers by degree level
| Portrait photographer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 59% |
| Associate | 23% |
| High School Diploma | 9% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Portrait photographer jobs you might like
Portrait photographer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, portrait photographers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $29,879 annually. With a Associate degree, portrait photographers earn a median annual income of $27,688 compared to $26,506 for portrait photographers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $26,506 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,879 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,688 |
Portrait photographer employment statistics
Most portrait photographers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where portrait photographers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where portrait photographers work.
Portrait photographer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Portrait photographer jobs by company type
Employees with the portrait photographer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most portrait photographers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Portrait photographer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 4% |
Portrait photographer jobs by industry
The most common industries for portrait photographers are professional, retail and manufacturing.
Portrait photographer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 21% |
| Retail | 19% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Media | 4% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Portrait photographer turnover and employment statistics
Portrait photographer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for portrait photographers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Portrait photographer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Portrait photographer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.20% |
| 2011 | 12.90% |
| 2012 | 10.02% |
| 2013 | 11.78% |
| 2014 | 8.02% |
| 2015 | 8.68% |
| 2016 | 6.42% |
| 2017 | 6.80% |
| 2018 | 6.68% |
| 2019 | 4.40% |
| 2020 | 12.28% |
| 2021 | 13.40% |
Average portrait photographer tenure
The average portrait photographer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,549 portrait photographers resumes in Zippia's database.
Portrait photographer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
Portrait photographer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of portrait photographers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Room Engineer | 5.55% | 60,645 |
| Live Truck Operator | 7.31% | 72,908 |
| Portrait Photographer | 11.17% | - |
| Photographer/Photo Editor | 11.70% | 11,149 |
| Student Graphic Designer | 12.14% | 55,508 |
| Interior Design Internship | 17.34% | 88,151 |
| Actor | 23.07% | 218 |
Similar portrait photographer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Room Engineer | 5.55% | 60,645 |
| Live Truck Operator | 7.31% | 72,908 |
| Photographer/Photo Editor | 11.70% | 11,149 |
| Student Graphic Designer | 12.14% | 55,508 |
| Interior Design Internship | 17.34% | 88,151 |
| Actor | 23.07% | 218 |
Foreign languages spoken by portrait photographers
The most common foreign language among portrait photographers is Spanish at 52.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.1% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 52.7%
- French, 9.1%
- Portuguese, 5.5%
- German, 5.5%
- Mandarin, 5.5%
- Other, 21.7%
Portrait photographer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.7% |
| French | 9.1% |
| Portuguese | 5.5% |
| German | 5.5% |
| Mandarin | 5.5% |
| Other | 21.7% |
