Find out what photographers really make for a living from this research:
https://petapixel.com/2025/08/29/how-many-photographers-are-making-over-300000-a-year/
Too long and don't want to look at all the charts?
My takeaway from the research is that here in the USA, among full time professional photographers interviewed, 39% make from $200,000 per year to over $300,000 per year, or more. There is a big proportion of photographers who make under $50K a year but tenure in the industry points to rising income by years of experience.
Men, as usual, are over-represented.
So, a larger percentage of full time working photographers than I expected are making as much as your average general practitioner doctor, CPA or median level attorney. Much better than expected. And right in line with my observations...
It's a range. But it's likely to be the same in most professions.
A gifted advertising photographer, working in the right markets, can easily gather a net worth over millions of dollars by retirement age; given a good head for business and a history of sound investments. And no, the latest Sony, Leica or Nikon camera is not necessarily what I mean by "sound investments."
Just thought I'd toss some red meat to the naysayers.
When I still lived close to NYC a few years ago, I regularly sold used gear to young pro photographers from the city. When asked, they all said business was great. Only on the web did I see constant whining about the business dying. Surely, parts were falling away, but that doesn’t mean the whole market disappeared.
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