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The differences between school photographers and photographer assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a school photographer and a photographer assistant. Additionally, a school photographer has an average salary of $98,357, which is higher than the $36,555 average annual salary of a photographer assistant.
The top three skills for a school photographer include customer service, kids and camera equipment. The most important skills for a photographer assistant are adobe photoshop, photographic equipment, and photo shoots.
| School Photographer | Photographer Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $98,357 | $36,555 |
| Hourly rate | $47.29 | $17.57 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 25,482 | 1,771 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A school photographer is typically a freelancer who works from one institution to another. Their responsibilities typically revolve around organizing and facilitating photoshoots for yearbooks, school IDs, and other events. Moreover, a school photographer is also responsible for coordinating with school authorities to identify and meet their preferences when it comes to the setting and backgrounds, arranging sets, and managing schedules and budgets. A school photographer may also liaise with parents, students, and faculty members to provide them with copies of the photos.
Photographer Assistants help photographers in all aspects of their work. They carry and set up equipment, change lenses, and make small lighting adjustments while the model is holding a pose.
School photographers and photographer assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Photographer | Photographer Assistant | |
| Average salary | $98,357 | $36,555 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $561,000 | Between $20,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a school photographer and a photographer assistant in terms of educational background:
| School Photographer | Photographer Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Photography | Photography |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between school photographers' and photographer assistants' demographics:
| School Photographer | Photographer Assistant | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5% | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |