Photography Studios, Portrait — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the photography studios, portrait industry earns $35,826 per year ($17.22/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Photography Studios, Portrait Workers Earn?
At $35,826/year (equivalent to $17.22/hour for a full-time worker), photography studios, portrait wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical photography studios, portrait 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 photography studios, portrait business generating $235K/year with 3 employees at $35,826 each, total payroll represents roughly 45.8% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a photography studios, portraitbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $46,574/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 3 employees = ~$107,478/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $17.22/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $235K/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 Photography Studios, Portrait revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do photography studios, portrait employees make?
- The average photography studios, portrait employee earns $35,826 per year, which is equivalent to $17.22/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 photography studios, portrait industry?
- The photography studios, portrait industry employs 36,211 workers across 11,702 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).