Professional photographer demographics and statistics in the US
Professional photographer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates professional photographer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our professional photographer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about professional photographers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 26,034 professional photographers currently employed in the United States.
- 52.6% of all professional photographers are women, while 47.4% are men.
- The average professional photographer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of professional photographers is White (65.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.2%), Asian (7.0%) and Black or African American (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 11% of all professional photographers are LGBT.
- Professional photographers are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Professional photographer demographics by:
Professional photographer gender statistics
52.6% of professional photographers are women and 47.4% of professional photographers are men.
- Female, 52.6%
- Male, 47.4%
Professional photographer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 52.6% |
| Male | 47.4% |
Professional photographer gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,869
Female income
$42,659
Professional photographer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in professional photographer positions over time. Currently, 52.6% of professional photographers are female.
Professional photographer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 46.42% | 53.58% |
| 2011 | 46.37% | 53.63% |
| 2012 | 45.08% | 54.92% |
| 2013 | 43.35% | 56.65% |
| 2014 | 46.18% | 53.82% |
| 2015 | 49.41% | 50.59% |
| 2016 | 50.29% | 49.71% |
| 2017 | 49.62% | 50.38% |
| 2018 | 48.46% | 51.54% |
| 2019 | 44.58% | 55.42% |
| 2020 | 41.13% | 58.87% |
| 2021 | 47.40% | 52.60% |
Professional photographer related jobs gender ratio
We compared professional 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% |
| Professional Photographer | 47% | 53% |
| 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%
Professional photographer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among professional photographers is White, which makes up 65.5% of all professional photographers. Comparatively, 15.2% of professional photographers are Hispanic or Latino and 7.0% of professional photographers are Asian.
- White, 65.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.2%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Professional photographer race
| Professional photographer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.2% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Professional photographer race and ethnicity over time
See how professional photographer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Professional photographer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.19% | 6.44% | 4.68% | 13.63% |
| 2011 | 74.76% | 5.76% | 4.37% | 12.13% |
| 2012 | 72.30% | 5.79% | 4.31% | 14.13% |
| 2013 | 72.72% | 5.87% | 4.91% | 13.20% |
| 2014 | 72.95% | 5.62% | 5.14% | 12.86% |
| 2015 | 71.80% | 6.29% | 4.85% | 13.88% |
| 2016 | 72.54% | 4.36% | 5.27% | 14.38% |
| 2017 | 72.57% | 6.19% | 4.44% | 13.79% |
| 2018 | 69.98% | 6.36% | 5.79% | 14.95% |
| 2019 | 71.82% | 5.63% | 5.50% | 13.81% |
| 2020 | 70.00% | 5.06% | 5.46% | 14.15% |
| 2021 | 65.45% | 6.34% | 7.04% | 15.23% |
Professional photographer wage gap by race
According to our data, white professional photographers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american professional photographers have the lowest average salary at $45,171.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $46,186 |
| White | $46,628 |
| Black or African American | $45,171 |
| Asian | $45,864 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,507 |
Average professional photographer age
See how the average age of professional photographers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Professional 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 |
Professional photographer age breakdown
The average age of professional photographers is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the professional photographer population.
Professional photographer age breakdown
| Professional Photographer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Professional photographer educational attainment
The most common degree for professional photographers is bachelor's degree, with 54% of professional photographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Professional photographers by degree level
| Professional photographer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Associate | 22% |
| High School Diploma | 10% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Professional photographer jobs you might like
Professional photographer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, professional photographers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $47,195 annually. With a Associate degree, professional photographers earn a median annual income of $44,440 compared to $42,934 for professional photographers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,934 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,195 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,440 |
Professional photographer employment statistics
Most professional photographers work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where professional photographers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where professional photographers work.
Professional photographer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Professional photographer jobs by company type
Employees with the professional photographer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most professional photographers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Professional photographer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 1% |
Professional photographer jobs by industry
The most common industries for professional photographers are media, professional and retail.
Professional photographer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 13% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Retail | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Hospitality | 8% |
| Start-up | 7% |
| Education | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
Professional photographer turnover and employment statistics
Professional photographer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for professional photographers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Professional photographer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Professional 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 professional photographer tenure
The average professional photographer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,849 professional photographers resumes in Zippia's database.
Professional photographer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 11% |
| 1-2 years | 15% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 38% |
Professional photographer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of professional 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Master Control Operator | 5.55% | 70,063 |
| Tape Editor | 7.31% | 4,461 |
| Professional Photographer | 11.17% | - |
| Editing Internship | 11.70% | 49,315 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | 12.14% | 95,831 |
| Kitchen Designer | 17.34% | 56,831 |
| Actor | 23.07% | 218 |
Similar professional photographer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Master Control Operator | 5.55% | 70,063 |
| Tape Editor | 7.31% | 4,461 |
| Editing Internship | 11.70% | 49,315 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | 12.14% | 95,831 |
| Kitchen Designer | 17.34% | 56,831 |
| Actor | 23.07% | 218 |
Foreign languages spoken by professional photographers
The most common foreign language among professional photographers is Spanish at 44.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.3% and Tagalog is the third-most popular at 7.4%.
- Spanish, 44.1%
- French, 10.3%
- Tagalog, 7.4%
- Italian, 7.4%
- Chinese, 5.9%
- Other, 24.9%
Professional photographer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 44.1% |
| French | 10.3% |
| Tagalog | 7.4% |
| Italian | 7.4% |
| Chinese | 5.9% |
| Other | 24.9% |
