Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $35,170–$50,150. 4,800 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
75% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $85,541.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 600 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Some preparation.
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 21% | Computer Science |
| Computer And Information Systems | 10% | Computer and Information Sciences |
| Film Video And Photographic Arts | 7% | Film and Photography |
| Computer Engineering | 4% | Computer Engineering |
| Electrical Engineering | 4% | Electrical Engineering |
| Psychology | 4% | Psychology |
| Finance | 3% | Finance · Insurance |
| Communications | 3% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| Business Management And Administration | 3% | Business Administration |
| Commercial Art And Graphic Design | 3% | Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| New York | $57,760 |
| Virginia | $47,380 |
| California | $47,320 |
| Florida | $46,840 |
| Wisconsin | $46,480 |
| Washington | $46,280 |
| Maryland | $45,600 |
| Iowa | $43,310 |
| New Jersey | $43,300 |
| Delaware | $42,220 |
| Oregon | $39,940 |
| Utah | $39,510 |
| Michigan | $38,610 |
| Massachusetts | $38,400 |
| Illinois | $37,940 |
| Indiana | $37,670 |
| Connecticut | $37,460 |
| Kentucky | $37,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,340 |
| Arizona | $36,650 |
| Louisiana | $36,500 |
| Texas | $35,950 |
| North Carolina | $35,580 |
| Georgia | $34,790 |
| Missouri | $33,540 |
| South Carolina | $30,010 |
| Alabama | $29,850 |
| Ohio | $29,770 |
| Tennessee | $29,050 |
Florida metro areas
- Jacksonville$43,490
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$50,740
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$27,080
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$41,280
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$47,450
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$54,400
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$43,240
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$46,810
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$56,550
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge used
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Mechanical
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Adaptability
- Perseverance
People in this job tend to have Realistic (hands-on), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: questions
How much do photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators make?
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators earn a U.S. median $40,610 a year; the middle half earn $35,170 to $50,150 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $82,908 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators a growing field?
BLS projects a decline of 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 600 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operator?
BLS lists the typical entry education as high school diploma or equivalent. In O*NET's survey, 5% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is computer Science (21%).
How much do photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $46,840 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $40,610 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 51-9151. Method
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Cite this: “Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/photographic-process-workers-and-processing-machine-operators.