National Salary Info » Photographers

Highest Paying Industries for Photographers

The top 100 highest paying industries for photographers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $75,580, aerospace product and parts manufacturing is the highest paying industry for photographers. It is followed by transportation equipment manufacturing industry (average annual salary $74,180). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of photographers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Photographers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$75,580	$50,530	70
2	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$74,180	$50,710	80
3	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$63,120	$34,590	110
4	Scientific Research and Development Services	$63,120	$34,590	110
5	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$55,940	$25,620	1,060
6	Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores	$55,940	$27,720	40
7	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$55,590	$25,160	1,070
8	Hospitals - Privately owned	$55,250	$34,340	150
9	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$55,110	$33,350	140
10	Manufacturing	$54,930	$26,320	310
11	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$53,160	$32,890	200
12	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$52,870	$31,490	180
13	Air Transportation	$52,830	$27,900	50
14	Rental and Leasing Services	$52,770	$19,110	n/a
15	Nonscheduled Air Transportation	$52,680	$28,310	50
16	Other Information Services	$52,380	$30,710	320
17	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$52,200	$23,750	580
18	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$51,930	$21,720	40
19	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$50,530	$22,740	30
20	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$49,620	$25,650	310
21	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$49,340	$31,010	300
22	Health Care and Social Assistance	$48,740	$23,620	590
23	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$48,480	$22,210	30
24	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$48,320	$27,150	400
25	Educational Services - Privately owned	$48,120	$24,360	350
26	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$47,940	$31,480	490
27	Federal, State, and Local Government	$47,940	$31,480	490
28	Printing and Related Support Activities	$47,880	$27,890	50
29	Offices of Physicians	$47,800	$28,840	270
30	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$47,760	$31,690	360
31	Educational Services - Local government owned	$47,760	$23,310	70
32	Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	$47,720	$40,810	n/a
33	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$47,600	$19,000	100
34	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$45,670	$27,660	1,010
35	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$45,030	$25,230	70
36	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$44,860	$25,780	700
37	Educational Services	$44,690	$24,770	820
38	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$44,670	$31,310	170
39	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Local government owned	$44,460	$25,420	30
40	Hospitals - Local government owned	$44,460	$25,420	30
41	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$43,790	$19,550	170
42	State government, including schools and hospitals	$43,780	$27,600	590
43	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$43,570	$27,660	90
44	Testing Laboratories	$43,330	$29,880	190
45	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$42,790	$18,430	670
46	Educational Services - State government owned	$42,770	$25,460	400
47	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$42,690	$25,730	390
48	Spectator Sports	$41,890	$18,080	40
49	Engineering Services	$41,870	$21,680	110
50	Information	$41,090	$21,660	8,880
51	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$40,870	$18,940	n/a
52	Other Support Services	$40,380	$24,120	40
53	Specialized Design Services	$40,020	$17,980	220
54	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$39,870	$20,160	40
55	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$39,730	$19,020	360
56	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$39,520	$17,840	820
57	Business Support Services	$39,430	$22,630	30
58	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$39,370	$21,330	3,920
59	Television Broadcasting	$39,200	$21,490	3,780
60	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$39,110	$21,420	3,820
61	Administrative and Support Services	$39,060	$19,990	300
62	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$39,060	$19,990	300
63	Transportation and Warehousing	$38,790	$21,370	170
64	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$38,600	$21,050	3,530
65	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$38,600	$21,050	3,540
66	Nonstore Retailers	$37,760	$20,840	470
67	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$37,720	$20,830	470
68	Newspaper Publishers	$37,610	$20,840	3,020
69	Temporary Help Services	$37,130	$17,670	40
70	Retail Trade	$37,130	$18,660	1,590
71	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$36,790	$26,330	n/a
72	Wholesale Trade	$36,660	$20,360	460
73	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$35,370	$18,350	110
74	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$35,120	$19,280	350
75	Junior Colleges (including private, state, and local government schools)	$34,740	$20,940	50
76	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$34,090	$21,220	270
77	Junior colleges - Local government owned	$34,070	$22,550	40
78	Real Estate	$32,650	$18,110	70
79	Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers	$32,530	$18,090	70
80	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$30,740	$17,770	n/a
81	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$30,730	$20,940	90
82	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$30,250	$19,240	2,420
83	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$29,680	$20,920	190
84	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water	$28,840	$19,860	70
85	Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores	$28,580	$20,080	n/a
86	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation	$28,330	$19,020	90
87	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$27,810	$18,460	1,070
88	Personal and Laundry Services	$27,740	$18,440	1,030
89	Employment Services	$27,670	$18,420	130
90	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$27,590	$17,730	34,240
91	Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	$27,570	$17,850	160
92	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$27,250	$17,700	32,870
93	Photographic Services	$27,220	$17,700	32,720
94	Other Personal Services	$27,040	$18,310	960
95	Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers	$26,470	$17,430	280
96	Automobile Dealers	$26,050	$17,390	260
97	Finance and Insurance	$25,920	$16,780	70
98	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$25,340	$16,740	70
99	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$24,290	$20,310	n/a
100	Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, and Book Stores	$21,940	$17,380	n/a