Product Photographer Salary: What You’ll Make and Why
Product photographers make around $36,349 to $84,333 on average in the US, depending on experience, location, skills, and other factors.
According to various salary aggregate websites, a product photographer’s salary in the US ranges between $36,349 and $84,333, with an average salary of $49,525. As of June 2022, the base salaries for product photographers are listed as follows:
| Payscale | ZipRecruiter | Indeed | Salary.com | Glassdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $49,353 | $39,482 | $36,349 | $38,106 | $84,333 |
Keep in mind: Salary aggregate websites typically rely on data submitted anonymously by individuals using their site. Some websites may have received larger amounts of data of either higher or lower than average salaries, which may affect the site’s calculated average.
Read more: What Is a Product Photographer? How to Become One
What influences a salary?
Several factors will affect how much you can earn as a product photographer. This includes your experience, the type of products you photograph, your location, and the demand for your services.
Years of experience
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a product photographer, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your product photographer salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $25,536 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $31,067 |
| Mid career (5 to 9 years) | $43,128 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $61,490 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $85,528 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a product photographer. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average product photographer salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York City, NY | $71,584 |
| Washington DC, DC | $69,437 |
| Boston, MA | $67,595 |
| San Francisco, CA | $65,685 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $62,386 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $36,151 |
| Tampa Bay, FL | $33,246 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $33,049 |
| Charlotte, NC | $31,523 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $29,120 |
How does this compare to similar jobs?
Here’s how a product photographer’s salary stacks up against similar jobs.
| Related Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Commercial Photographer | $51,965 |
| Product Manager | $94,704 |
| Graphic Designer | $48,283 |
| Art Director | $78,781 |
| Photographer | $43,114 |
| Photo Editor | $41,931 |
| Videographer | $48,660 |
| Creative Director | $87,957 |
| Designer | $58,574 |
How to increase your product photographer salary
Now that you have a better idea of what you could expect to earn as a product photographer, let’s look at ways to boost your salary.
1. Strengthen your skills
Pursuing and improving in-demand skills could make you more competitive for promotions and higher-paying positions. These skills include:
- Photography: Understand how to use a DSLR camera to take high-quality photos
- Photo Editing: Edit photos using Photoshop or Lightroom to improve color, contrast, and other factors
- Photo Retouching: Retouch photos to remove imperfections and blemishes
- Product Styling: Style products in an appealing way that highlights the features and benefits
- Lighting: Know how to use lighting to create the desired mood and effect in photos
2. Maintain a consistent performance
Product photography is a highly competitive field, so it’s important to always be at the top of your game. Maintaining a strong portfolio, and impressing clients with your work can help you command a higher salary.
3. Talk to Recruiters
If you’re looking for a raise, it can’t hurt to chat with a recruiter about your skills and experience. They may be able to give you some insight into what companies are willing to pay for your particular talents. Additionally, they may have access to job postings that offer higher salaries than the ones you’re seeing.
Article Sources
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “National Compensation Survey, https://www.bls.gov/ncs/.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274021.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
3. Payscale. “Photographer Hourly Pay, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Photographer/Hourly_Rate.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
4. Ziprecruiter. “Product Photographer Annual Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Product-Photographer-Salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
5. Indeed. “Indeed Salary Finder, https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
6. Salary.com. “Product Photographer Salary, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/hiring/product-photographer-salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
7. Glassdoor. “Product Photographer Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/product-photographer-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.