Professional Photography Salaries

Predicting future photography salaries is a tricky business. Each photographer is different, and there are any number of factors that could affect your earning potential. Here are some of the most common variables that may affect your photography paycheck:

Will you live in a large city or a smaller town? Cost of living is a factor when you live in a cities as opposed to rural locations. Photography salaries reflect where you live.

How much work experience will you have? As you gain experience and build a client base (if you're self-employed), you may be able to charge more for your services. Or if you take a salaried position at a company, you may command a higher paycheck from your employer.

Will you have a photography degree? While this is a career you can do without a degree, having those credentials can make you more hirable in a variety of fields.

Will you be working full time? Especially if you're self-employed, you can set your own hours. However, the number of hours you work will directly affect your photography salary.

Will you own your own photography business or work in a salaried position? There are pros and cons to either work situation. If you run your own business, your paycheck may be a little less predictable.

What kind of photography will you do? Different kinds of work will command different photography salaries.

While there is a wide range of things that could affect your earnings, there is also a wide range of salaries for professional photographers. According to HR data reported by Salary.com in October, 2009, the middle 50 percent of professional photographers earns between $42,770 and $63,587.

There are many paths you can take in professional photography—some of them more lucrative than others. Your future career and the salary you'll earn will depend on your own preferences and choices, as well as your determination to succeed—whichever path you choose.

Ready to start earning a professional photographer salary? Getting career training is a good first step. Find photography schools in our directory, and prepare for a future in professional photography.