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Wedding photographer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a wedding photographer. Wedding photographers usually study photography, graphic design, or fine arts. 65% of wedding photographers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,059 real wedding photographer resumes to see exactly what wedding photographer education sections show.
The most common colleges for wedding photographers are the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
There are also many online wedding photographer courses to help get the education required to be a wedding photographer.
What education do you need to become a wedding photographer?
What degree do you need to be a wedding photographer?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 18%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a wedding photographer?
- Photography, 38%
- Graphic Design, 10%
- Fine Arts, 10%
- Communication, 6%
- Other Majors, 36%
Most common colleges for wedding photographers
| Wedding photographer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh | 10.48% |
| Columbia College Chicago | 8.57% |
| Academy of Art University | 7.62% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 6.67% |
| Full Sail University | 6.67% |
Best majors for wedding photographers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 38.2% |
| 2 | Graphic Design | 10.4% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 9.7% |
| 4 | Communication | 6.4% |
| 5 | Business | 5.8% |
Best colleges for wedding photographers
The best colleges for wedding photographers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A wedding photographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for wedding photographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become wedding photographers.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for wedding photographers
Advertising disclosure
1. Wedding Photography: Complete Guide to Wedding Photography
Learn exactly how to become a wedding photographer, start a photo business of your own, and shoot better wedding photos...
2. Wedding Photography: Tips, Tricks & Ideas for Amazing Photos
Learn these creative tips, posing and planning ideas for better wedding photos, and become a great wedding photographer...
3. Wedding Photography
Bob Davis, an elite member of the Canon Explorer of Light, shares 25 years of expertise...
4. Wedding Videography: Learn To Shoot And Edit Wedding Videos
Learn shooting by watching me on field. Learn editing by watching the work on screen over my shoulder...
5. Cinematic Wedding Films: A Guide to Wedding Videography
A guide to making emotional cinematic wedding films that will take you to the next level as a filmmaker...
6. Wedding Flower Design School for the DIY Bride
Learn how to create your own wedding flowers from Bouquets, Corsages, Boutonnieres, Decor, and Centerpieces...
7. Wedding planner MBA: the complete how to start 4-in-1 course
How to start your wedding planning business: the most comprehensive training on the internet...
8. Portrait Photography for Absolute Beginners
Compositional Techniques for Portraits, Lighting skills, Tips for Corporate Portraits, Wedding and Event Portraits...
9. Portrait Photography for Beginners
You'll learn how to take better portraits with any camera in this complete portrait photography course...
10. Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography
The Best Online Professional Photography Class: How to Take Amazing Photos for Beginners & Advanced Photographers...
11. Photoshop CC Retouching and Effects Masterclass
Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud Retouching and Effects for Portrait Photography & More. Learn the Essentials to Advanced!...
12. Portrait Photography: Share with Joy!
Master lighting, camera, editing, and posing in my proven photography system. Shoot with confidence...
13. Sports & Action Photography For Beginners
A foundational course for beginner and novice level photographers who want to learn how to photograph dynamic subjects...
14. Long Exposure Photography: Shoot Your Own Stunning Photos
Quick start long exposure course. You can capture beautiful photographs with your DSLR, mirrorless and i Phone cameras...
15. Digital Photography for Beginners with DSLR cameras
Learn how to take stunning photographs by mastering both the technical and creative sides of digital photography...
16. Adobe Photoshop CC For Photographers
An essential Photoshop course for all photographers. Learn how to edit and manipulate your images with Photoshop CC...
17. Street Photography: Capture Stunning Street Photography
Complete Street Photography Course: Capture beautiful street photography with this street photography masterclass...
18. Complete Photography: 21 Courses in 1 [Beginner to Expert]
Learn Portrait Photography, Landscape Photography, Stock Photography, Photography Composition, Black and White, and more...
19. Turn Photographs Into Digital Paintings Using Photoshop
Step ahead of the competition by offering unique portrait art, paint in Photoshop from a photograph...
20. Photography - Become a Better Photographer - Part I
See results today! 50 photography tips for taking amazing photos with your DSLR, Mirrorless or compact camera...
Top 10 most affordable universities for wedding photographers
The most affordable schools for wedding photographers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for wedding photographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for wedding photographers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for wedding photographers
The hardest universities for wedding photographers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for wedding photographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for wedding photographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for wedding photographers
The easiest schools for wedding photographers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and cardinal stritch university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a wedding photographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for wedding photographers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average wedding photographer salary by education level
| Wedding photographer education level | Wedding photographer salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,343 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,663 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,511 |
Wedding photographer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025