Photographer

Careers / Photographer

📸

Capture images using digital or film cameras

📚

Typical Education

Bachelor's

→

💼

Annual Openings

12,800

→

💰

Median Salary

$45,710

10-Year Job Outlook

→ 4%Stable

Projected employment change 2023-2033 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Schools

Programs

$27k

Avg Earnings

Regions

Reading the Numbers

Earnings/yr

Median salary 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard)

ROI %

Return on investment: (Earnings − Debt) ÷ Debt. Higher = better payoff.

Debt

Median total student debt at graduation for this program

Net Price

Annual cost after grants/scholarships (avg for all students at school)

How to Get There

Multiple educational paths can lead to a career as a Photographer. Explore programs by credential level below.

Certificate3 programs

Century College

Design and Applied Arts.

White Bear Lake, MN • Midwest

$43,778/yr

+250.2% ROI

$12,500 debt

Century College

Design and Applied Arts.

San Juan, PR

$43,778/yr

+250.2% ROI

$12,500 debt

Academia Serrant Inc

Design and Applied Arts.

Ponce, PR

—/yr

Associate14 programs

Austin Community College District

Design and Applied Arts.

Austin, TX • Southwest

$40,289/yr

+102.1% ROI

$19,939 debt

Century College

Design and Applied Arts.

San Juan, PR

$39,850/yr

+206.5% ROI

$13,000 debt

Century College

Design and Applied Arts.

White Bear Lake, MN • Midwest

$39,850/yr

+206.5% ROI

$13,000 debt

Arapahoe Community College

Design and Applied Arts.

Littleton, CO • West

$32,100/yr

+112.2% ROI

$15,125 debt

Alexandria Technical & Community College

Design and Applied Arts.

Alexandria, MN • Midwest

$31,830/yr

+165.3% ROI

$12,000 debt

+9 more Associate programs available

Bachelor's70 programs

Carnegie Mellon University

Design and Applied Arts.

Pittsburgh, PA • Northeast

$66,274/yr

+170.5% ROI

$24,500 debt

Boston University

Design and Applied Arts.

Boston, MA • Northeast

$49,254/yr

+134.5% ROI

$21,000 debt

Art Center College of Design

Design and Applied Arts.

Pasadena, CA • West

$47,053/yr

+51.8% ROI

$31,000 debt

Chapman University

Design and Applied Arts.

Orange, CA • West

$46,519/yr

+95.3% ROI

$23,823 debt

Bellevue College

Design and Applied Arts.

Bellevue, WA • Northwest

$45,947/yr

+65 more Bachelor's programs available

Master's8 programs

Carnegie Mellon University

Design and Applied Arts.

Pittsburgh, PA • Northeast

$120,888/yr

+88.2% ROI

$64,233 debt

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Design and Applied Arts.

Tempe, AZ • Southwest

$47,217/yr

-21.9% ROI

$60,449 debt

Academy of Art University

Film/Video and Photographic Arts.

San Francisco, CA • West

$41,911/yr

-63% ROI

$113,213 debt

Academy of Art University

Design and Applied Arts.

San Francisco, CA • West

$38,358/yr

-58.9% ROI

$93,267 debt

Chapman University

Film/Video and Photographic Arts.

Orange, CA • West

$28,832/yr

-80.1% ROI

$144,710 debt

+3 more Master's programs available

Schools by Region

Compare programs across different regions to find the best fit for you.

Midwest18 programs

Avg earnings: $30,718/yr

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN

$43,778

+250.2%

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN

$40,231

+83.6%

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN

Career outlook data from Bureau of Labor Statistics. Program earnings and ROI from College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Earnings represent median income 1 year after graduation. ROI is calculated as (Earnings - Debt) / Debt.