51 Series · SOC 51-9151
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $40,610
- Median / year
- $68,800
- Top 10% earn
- -2.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 4,800
- US workers
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators earn a median of $40,610 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $40,610, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $30,090 (10th percentile) to $68,800 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 4,800 US workers. New York pays the most ($57,760), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators earn a median of $40,610, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 13% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #85 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 2.6% by 2033.
- $40,610
- Median annual wage
- Top 87%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #85 of 105
- in Production
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $57,760. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators (SOC 51-9151) pays a national median of $40,610 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $30,090 at the 10th percentile to $68,800 at the 90th, with a mean of $46,050 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 4,800 Americans work in this occupation across 29 reporting states and 25 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -2.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $57,760, which is +42% above the national figure. The top metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $60,320 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$40,610
per year
Median Hourly
$19.52/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$46,050
average
Employment
4,800
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$40,610 Bottom 13% higher than 13% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -2.6% growth and $40,610 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-2.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software.
- ▸ Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
- ▸ Produce color or black-and-white photographs, negatives, or slides, applying standard photographic reproduction techniques and procedures.
- ▸ Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements.
- ▸ Review computer-processed digital images for quality.
- ▸ Operate scanners or related computer equipment to digitize negatives, photographic prints, or other images.
- ▸ Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes.
- ▸ Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
- ▸ Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
- ▸ Operate special equipment to perform tasks such as transferring film to videotape or producing photographic enlargements.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$30,090
25th Percentile
$35,170
Median
$40,610
75th Percentile
$50,150
90th Percentile
$68,800
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 29 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $57,760 | +42% above national |
| 2 | Virginia | $47,380 | +17% above national |
| 3 | California | $47,320 | +17% above national |
| 4 | Florida | $46,840 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $46,480 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $46,280 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Maryland | $45,600 | +12% above national |
| 8 | Iowa | $43,310 | +7% above national |
| 9 | New Jersey | $43,300 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Delaware | $42,220 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $39,940 | 2% below national |
| 12 | Utah | $39,510 | 3% below national |
| 13 | Michigan | $38,610 | 5% below national |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $38,400 | 5% below national |
| 15 | Illinois | $37,940 | 7% below national |
| 16 | Indiana | $37,670 | 7% below national |
| 17 | Connecticut | $37,460 | 8% below national |
| 18 | Kentucky | $37,430 | 8% below national |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $37,340 | 8% below national |
| 20 | Arizona | $36,650 | 10% below national |
| 21 | Louisiana | $36,500 | 10% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $35,950 | 11% below national |
| 23 | North Carolina | $35,580 | 12% below national |
| 24 | Georgia | $34,790 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Missouri | $33,540 | 17% below national |
| 26 | South Carolina | $30,010 | 26% below national |
| 27 | Alabama | $29,850 | 26% below national |
| 28 | Ohio | $29,770 | 27% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $29,050 | 28% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 25 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,320 | +49% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,550 | +39% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,400 | +34% above national |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $52,000 | +28% above national |
| 5 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $50,740 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,450 | +17% above national |
| 7 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $46,810 | +15% above national |
| 8 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $44,560 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Jacksonville, FL | $43,490 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $43,240 | +6% above national |
| 11 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $43,100 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $41,280 | +2% above national |
| 13 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,070 | 4% below national |
| 14 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $38,860 | 4% below national |
| 15 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $38,650 | 5% below national |
| 16 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $38,400 | 5% below national |
| 17 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $37,940 | 7% below national |
| 18 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $37,720 | 7% below national |
| 19 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $37,340 | 8% below national |
| 20 | Muncie, IN | $37,180 | 8% below national |
| 21 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $34,900 | 14% below national |
| 22 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $34,790 | 14% below national |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | $30,600 | 25% below national |
| 24 | Cleveland, OH | $29,540 | 27% below national |
| 25 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $27,080 | 33% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $50,150/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $57,760/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.