Arts, Design & Media

Photographers

SOC 27-4021

Capture images for clients, publications, or art, often freelance.

The job

Median pay

$45k

$36k to $63k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Declining

-0.7% projected

Openings a year

11k

BLS projection

Typical education

High school

Our model

AI displacement risk

High

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

9/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

63rd pct

More exposed than 63% of occupations · modeled estimate · 79th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

37/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Camera Operators, TV & FilmPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostWashington DC leads at $111k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Photographers and explore its neighbours See open jobsPhotographers roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Photographers, who lean most on active listening Real pay & reviewsWhat Photographers say they actually earn

Key skills

Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Monitoring

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	7,980	0.4	1.3×	$48k
Florida	4,390	0.4	1.3×	$43k
Texas	4,330	0.3	0.9×	$41k
New York	3,650	0.4	1.1×	$60k
Illinois	2,150	0.4	1.1×	$37k
North Carolina	2,130	0.4	1.3×	$37k
Pennsylvania	1,870	0.3	0.9×	$41k
Virginia	1,580	0.4	1.2×	$47k
Ohio	1,540	0.3	0.8×	$38k
New Jersey	1,460	0.3	1.0×	$41k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Georgia	1,420	0.3	0.9×	$44k
Arizona	1,360	0.4	1.3×	$37k
Colorado	1,140	0.4	1.2×	$47k
Michigan	970	0.2	0.7×	$40k~
Washington	960	0.3	0.8×	$48k
Missouri	950	0.3	1.0×	$39k
Nevada	890	0.6	1.7×	$37k
Wisconsin	850	0.3	0.9×	$42k
Massachusetts	830	0.2	0.7×	$58k
Indiana	810	0.3	0.8×	$36k
Maryland	790	0.3	0.9×	$46k
Tennessee	780	0.2	0.7×	$38k
Minnesota	730	0.2	0.7×	$46k
Utah	660	0.4	1.1×	$52k
Connecticut	630	0.4	1.1×	$50k
South Carolina	630	0.3	0.8×	$38k
Alabama	530	0.3	0.8×	$36k
Louisiana	510	0.3	0.8×	$37k
Oregon	510	0.3	0.8×	$54k
Hawaii	440	0.7	2.1×	$46k
Iowa	430	0.3	0.8×	$38k
Kentucky	380	0.2	0.6×	$47k
Oklahoma	330	0.2	0.6×	$37k
Kansas	300	0.2	0.6×	$38k
Washington DC	260	0.4	1.1×	$111k
Arkansas	240	0.2	0.6×	$33k
New Mexico	230	0.3	0.8×	$48k
Nebraska	220	0.2	0.7×	$42k
New Hampshire	220	0.3	1.0×	$45k
Rhode Island	220	0.4	1.3×	$37k
Idaho	190	0.2	0.7×	$33k
Mississippi	190	0.2	0.5×	$46k
Montana	190	0.4	1.1×	$40k
South Dakota	190	0.4	1.3×	$45k
Delaware	180	0.4	1.1×	$50k
Maine	180	0.3	0.8×	$47k
West Virginia	110	0.2	0.5×	$36k
North Dakota	70	0.2	0.5×	$37k
Vermont	60	0.2	0.6×	$44k~
Alaska	50	0.2	0.5×	$39k
Wyoming	50	0.2	0.5×	$39k

Top metro areas

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA4,290 jobs · $48k median
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ3,590 jobs · $60k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN1,590 jobs · $37k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1,480 jobs · $44k median
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL1,470 jobs · $50k median
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ1,140 jobs · $37k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,060 jobs · $55k median
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL980 jobs · $35k median

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.