Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for photographic process workers and processing machine operators in the U.S. is $40,610 ($19.52 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $40,610
- Mean annual wage
- $46,050
- Median hourly wage
- $19.52
- Employment
- 4,800
4,800 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,090 | $14.47 |
| 25th percentile | $35,170 | $16.91 |
| Median (50th) | $40,610 | $19.52 |
| 75th percentile | $50,150 | $24.11 |
| 90th percentile | $68,800 | $33.08 |
Highest-paying states for photographic process workers and processing machine operators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $57,760 | 400 |
| Virginia | $47,380 | 110 |
| California | $47,320 | 740 |
| Florida | $46,840 | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $46,480 | 60 |
| Washington | $46,280 | 80 |
| Maryland | $45,600 | 200 |
| Iowa | $43,310 | 90 |
| New Jersey | $43,300 | 110 |
| Delaware | $42,220 | 30 |
Lowest-paying states
- Tennessee: $29,050 median annual wage
- Ohio: $29,770 median annual wage
- Alabama: $29,850 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $30,010 median annual wage
- Missouri: $33,540 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Read work orders to determine required processes, techniques, materials, or equipment.
- Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
- Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
- Examine drawings, negatives, or photographic prints to determine coloring, shading, accenting, or other changes required for retouching or restoration.
- Thread filmstrips through densitometers or sensitometers and expose film to light to determine density of film, necessary color corrections, or light sensitivity.
- Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 14.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 13.9% |
| Associate's degree | 5.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 45.4% |
| Master's degree | 16.1% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
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- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.