# Photographers

> Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/photographers
- SOC code: 27-4021.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $44,660 (10th percentile $30,820, 90th percentile $91,810)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, -0.7%
- Openings a year: 10,700
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RAC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 76 |
| Investigative (I) | 20 |
| Artistic (A) | 71 |
| Social (S) | 16 |
| Enterprising (E) | 21 |
| Conventional (C) | 39 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 92/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 90/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 86/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 83/100)
- Selling or Influencing Others (importance 82/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 77/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 77/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 77/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Communications and Media, English Language, Fine Arts, Production and Processing, Administrative, Psychology

## Also called

Advertising Photographer, Aerial Photographer, Automotive Photographer, Biological Photographer, Biomedical Photographer, Commercial Photographer, Crime Scene Photographer, Digital Photographer, Event Photographer, Fashion Photographer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Fine and Studio Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5007) (CIP 5007, 1,455 colleges)
- [Design and Applied Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5004) (CIP 5004, 1,175 colleges)
- [Film/Video and Photographic Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5006) (CIP 5006, 676 colleges)
- [Visual and Performing Arts, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5001) (CIP 5001, 571 colleges)
- [Journalism](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0904) (CIP 0904, 544 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Design and Applied Arts | $91,413 | $138,588 | $21,000 |
| [Lawrence Technological University-Michigan](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lawrence-technological-university-michigan-1459) | Design and Applied Arts | $62,595 | $99,444 | $27,000 |
| [University of Washington-Seattle Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Design and Applied Arts | $51,789 | $89,193 | $15,000 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Design and Applied Arts | $52,814 | $89,022 | $18,250 |
| [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute RPI](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute-rpi-2221) | Design and Applied Arts | $34,202 | $87,358 | $25,500 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Design and Applied Arts | $61,815 | $87,336 | $19,500 |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Design and Applied Arts | $56,560 | $83,414 | $19,750 |
| [Lehigh University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lehigh-university-1472) | Journalism | $65,957 | $81,935 | $23,250 |

## Related careers

- [Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/photographic-process-workers-and-processing-machine-operators): $40,610 median pay
- [Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fine-artists-including-painters-sculptors-and-illustrators): $55,490 median pay
- [Graphic Designers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/graphic-designers): $62,960 median pay
- [Special Effects Artists and Animators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/special-effects-artists-and-animators): $102,030 median pay
- [Art Directors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/art-directors): $114,850 median pay
- [Prepress Technicians and Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/prepress-technicians-and-workers): $48,690 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.