SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform work involved in developing and processing photographic images from film or digital media. May perform precision tasks such as editing photographic negatives and prints.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9151.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $30,090 | $2,508 | $579 | $14.47 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,170 | $2,931 | $676 | $16.91 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $40,610 | $3,384 | $781 | $19.52 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $50,150 | $4,179 | $964 | $24.11 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $68,800 | $5,733 | $1,323 | $33.08 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators is $40,610, which is 20% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 85 by median pay. With 4,800 jobs, it makes up about 0.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($46,050) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($57,760), Virginia ($47,380) and California ($47,320). The lowest was in Tennessee ($29,050), Ohio ($29,770) and Alabama ($29,850). The most jobs were in California (740), Florida (450) and New York (400). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 2.4 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 400 | $57,760 | $67,440 | $27.77 |
| Virginia | 110 | $47,380 | $45,940 | $22.78 |
| California | 740 | $47,320 | $55,580 | $22.75 |
| Florida | 450 | $46,840 | $42,300 | $22.52 |
| Wisconsin | 60 | $46,480 | $47,910 | $22.35 |
| Washington | 80 | $46,280 | $53,980 | $22.25 |
| Maryland | 200 | $45,600 | $53,310 | $21.92 |
| Iowa | 90 | $43,310 | $41,280 | $20.82 |
| New Jersey | 110 | $43,300 | $43,130 | $20.82 |
| Delaware | 30 | $42,220 | $43,940 | $20.30 |
| Oregon | 40 | $39,940 | $41,800 | $19.20 |
| Utah | 60 | $39,510 | $39,900 | $19.00 |
| Michigan | 150 | $38,610 | $41,960 | $18.56 |
| Massachusetts | not published | $38,400 | $46,450 | $18.46 |
| Illinois | not published | $37,940 | $43,480 | $18.24 |
| Indiana | 240 | $37,670 | $41,710 | $18.11 |
| Connecticut | 80 | $37,460 | $39,930 | $18.01 |
| Kentucky | 120 | $37,430 | $37,710 | $18.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 160 | $37,340 | $38,940 | $17.95 |
| Arizona | not published | $36,650 | $38,360 | $17.62 |
| Louisiana | 60 | $36,500 | $42,520 | $17.55 |
| Texas | 160 | $35,950 | $41,300 | $17.28 |
| North Carolina | 320 | $35,580 | $41,580 | $17.11 |
| Georgia | 50 | $34,790 | $49,570 | $16.72 |
| Missouri | 100 | $33,540 | $37,950 | $16.12 |
| South Carolina | 50 | $30,010 | $31,410 | $14.43 |
| Alabama | 40 | $29,850 | $33,730 | $14.35 |
| Ohio | 190 | $29,770 | $32,740 | $14.31 |
| Tennessee | 110 | $29,050 | $30,940 | $13.97 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers$41,600 a year
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$41,590 a year
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders$41,330 a year
- Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,140 a year
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers$40,130 a year
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110 a year
Common questions
How much do Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $40,610 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,090 and the highest-paid 10% more than $68,800.
How many people work as Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators?
About 4,800 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.