Commercial Photography — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the commercial photography industry earns $61,734 per year ($29.68/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Commercial Photography Workers Earn?
At $61,734/year (equivalent to $29.68/hour for a full-time worker), commercial photography wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.
The typical commercial photography business employs 3 people. Most operations are small — often owner-operated with a handful of staff. Labor costs are manageable relative to revenue.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average commercial photography business generating $255K/year with 3 employees at $61,734 each, total payroll represents roughly 72.6% of revenue. This is a labor-intensive industry — payroll is the dominant expense.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a commercial photographybusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $80,254/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 3 employees = ~$185,202/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $29.68/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $255K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Commercial Photography revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do commercial photography employees make?
- The average commercial photography employee earns $61,734 per year, which is equivalent to $29.68/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the commercial photography industry?
- The commercial photography industry employs 11,521 workers across 4,595 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 3 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).