How much does a Photo Researcher make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Photo Researcher in the United States is $86,199 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.
However, a Photo Researcher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,516
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,900 to $94,216
Key Factors That Influence Photo Researcher Salaries
A Photo Researcher's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Photo Researcher Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Photo Researcher's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Photo Researcher Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Photo Researchers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $95,439.
California: $95,077.
Massachusetts: $93,810.
District of Columbia$95,439
California$95,077
Massachusetts$93,810
Washington$93,465
New Jersey$93,431
Alaska$93,310
Connecticut$92,120
New York$91,638
Hawaii$90,095
Rhode Island$89,371
Maryland$88,879
Minnesota$88,207
Colorado$87,948
Illinois$87,862
Oregon$87,535
Delaware$87,293
New Hampshire$87,142
Virginia$86,802
Pennsylvania$85,811
Nevada$85,311
North Dakota$85,147
Michigan$84,888
Wisconsin$84,794
Vermont$84,604
Texas$84,078
Maine$84,044
Arizona$83,992
Ohio$83,932
Georgia$83,139
Indiana$82,742
Wyoming$82,664
Utah$82,544
Iowa$82,492
Kansas$82,078
Louisiana$81,958
North Carolina$81,915
Missouri$81,897
Florida$81,561
Montana$81,380
Nebraska$81,208
Kentucky$81,113
South Carolina$80,768
Tennessee$80,553
Idaho$80,466
New Mexico$79,837
Oklahoma$79,699
Alabama$79,191
South Dakota$78,337
Arkansas$77,872
West Virginia$77,622
Mississippi$76,872
Top Paying Cities for Photo Researchers
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $108,722
San Francisco: $107,532
Oakland: $105,266
San Jose, CA$108,722
San Francisco, CA$107,532
Oakland, CA$105,266
New York, NY$99,248
Paramus, NJ$98,041
Queens Village, NY$98,037
Passaic, NJ$97,955
Bergenfield, NJ$97,947
Stamford, CT$97,758
Huntington, NY$97,722
Newark, NJ$97,085
Bridgeport, CT$96,904
Vallejo, CA$96,732
New Brunswick, NJ$96,698
Petaluma, CA$96,646
Middlesex, NJ$96,482
Somerset, NJ$96,422
Santa Cruz, CA$96,310
Boston, MA$95,784
Monterey, CA$95,481
Seattle, WA$95,284
Santa Rosa, CA$95,267
Los Angeles, CA$95,241
Juneau, AK$95,017
Washington, DC$94,922
Orange, CA$94,615
Santa Ana, CA$94,387
Long Beach, CA$94,301
Anaheim, CA$94,284
Anchorage, AK$94,241
Santa Maria, CA$93,982
Everett, WA$93,965
Danbury, CT$93,662
Bremerton, WA$93,543
Tacoma, WA$93,232
New Suffolk, NY$93,231
Sacramento, CA$93,207
Santa Barbara, CA$93,112
Trenton, NJ$93,017
San Diego, CA$93,017
Brockton, MA$92,922
Fairbanks, AK$92,711
Lompoc, CA$92,491
Lowell, MA$92,421
Ventura, CA$92,405
Nashua, NH$92,388
Stockton, CA$92,379
Modesto, CA$91,750
Poughkeepsie, NY$91,560
Olympia, WA$91,396
Kennewick, WA$91,396
New Haven, CT$91,362
Lawrence, MA$91,052
Hartford, CT$90,965
Riverside, CA$90,948
New Bedford, MA$90,862
Richland, WA$90,862
Bakersfield, CA$90,741
San Bernardino, CA$90,707
New Britain, CT$90,698
Atlantic City, NJ$90,698
New London, CT$90,664
Norwich, CT$90,638
Portsmouth, NH$90,621
Boulder, CO$90,438
Portland, OR$90,319
Worcester, MA$90,310
Minneapolis, MN$90,043
Philadelphia, PA$89,922
Honolulu, HI$89,638
Saint Paul, MN$89,597
Vineland, NJ$89,578
Providence, RI$89,328
Chicago, IL$89,078
Bellingham, WA$88,974
Springfield, MA$88,905
Baltimore, MD$88,879
Chico, CA$88,664
Pittsfield, MA$88,431
Manchester, NH$88,267
Spokane, WA$87,888
Denver, CO$87,879
Albany, NY$87,474
Troy, NY$87,440
Nassau, NY$87,348
Schenectady, NY$87,259
Wilmington, DE$87,190
Burlington, VT$87,069
Salem, OR$87,035
Portland, ME$86,768
Yakima, WA$86,681
Rochester, MN$86,414
Reno, NV$86,371
Fresno, CA$86,371
Milwaukee, WI$86,293
Detroit, MI$86,207
Ann Arbor, MI$86,193
Allentown, PA$86,181
Colorado Springs, CO$86,035
Syracuse, NY$85,992
Carson City, NV$85,992
Houston, TX$85,871
Eugene, OR$85,828
Gary, IN$85,725
Springfield, OR$85,656
Bismarck, ND$85,638
Galveston, TX$85,578
Medford, OR$85,449
Fort Collins, CO$85,414
Concord, NH$85,371
Austin, TX$85,345
Mesa, AZ$85,164
Reading, PA$85,156
Phoenix, AZ$85,147
Dallas, TX$85,121
Saint Cloud, MN$85,038
Madison, WI$84,923
Utica, NY$84,690
Rochester, NY$84,552
Des Moines, IA$84,544
Raleigh, NC$84,535
Atlanta, GA$84,406
Battle Creek, MI$84,380
Salt Lake City, UT$84,354
Lancaster, PA$84,225
Harrisburg, PA$84,104
Kansas City, MO$84,018
Champaign, IL$84,001
Kansas City, KS$84,001
Fort Worth, TX$83,992
Columbus, OH$83,977
Boca Raton, FL$83,957
Pittsburgh, PA$83,923
Richmond, VA$83,888
Indianapolis, IN$83,871
Cleveland, OH$83,863
Las Vegas, NV$83,759
Cincinnati, OH$83,759
Petersburg, VA$83,630
Huntsville, AL$83,501
Lansing, MI$83,443
Lebanon, PA$83,432
Pueblo, CO$83,423
Appleton, WI$83,397
Buffalo, NY$83,363
Dayton, OH$83,337
Racine, WI$83,320
Charlotte, NC$83,311
Saint Louis, MO$83,285
York, PA$83,233
Elkhart, IN$83,233
Gastonia, NC$83,217
Billings, MT$83,196
Beaumont, TX$83,173
Lorain, OH$83,156
Benton Harbor, MI$83,139
Toledo, OH$83,121
Binghamton, NY$83,078
Rock Hill, SC$83,070
Rockford, IL$83,026
Springfield, IL$82,992
Elyria, OH$82,983
Fargo, ND$82,983
Flagstaff, AZ$82,923
Fort Lauderdale, FL$82,871
Duluth, MN$82,820
Miami, FL$82,820
Cheyenne, WY$82,759
Grand Forks, ND$82,759
Bangor, ME$82,570
Cedar Rapids, IA$82,475
Durham, NC$82,439
Louisville, KY$82,432
Grand Rapids, MI$82,414
Hialeah, FL$82,406
Casper, WY$82,285
Scranton, PA$82,182
New Orleans, LA$82,156
Virginia Beach, VA$82,147
Akron, OH$82,104
Peoria, IL$81,992
Sarasota, FL$81,975
Nashville, TN$81,915
Omaha, NE$81,915
Green Bay, WI$81,915
Baton Rouge, LA$81,871
Charleston, SC$81,854
Jamestown, NY$81,811
Davenport, IA$81,811
Tucson, AZ$81,768
Saint Petersburg, FL$81,716
Tampa, FL$81,699
Evansville, IN$81,647
Port Arthur, TX$81,647
Bradenton, FL$81,613
Santa Fe, NM$81,458
Orlando, FL$81,303
Clearwater, FL$81,277
Canton, OH$81,096
La Crosse, WI$81,096
Albuquerque, NM$81,044
Newport News, VA$81,035
High Point, NC$81,009
Ogden, UT$80,975
Corpus Christi, TX$80,906
Norfolk, VA$80,854
Laramie, WY$80,854
Rock Island, IL$80,803
Saginaw, MI$80,785
Jacksonville, FL$80,777
Salisbury, NC$80,759
Boise, ID$80,742
Moline, IL$80,699
Fort Myers, FL$80,673
Memphis, TN$80,656
Tulsa, OK$80,613
Waterloo, IA$80,561
Spartanburg, SC$80,475
Lincoln, NE$80,432
Fort Wayne, IN$80,415
Provo, UT$80,406
Cedar Falls, IA$80,303
San Antonio, TX$80,268
Greensboro, NC$80,234
South Bend, IN$80,225
Savannah, GA$80,130
Muskegon, MI$80,096
Birmingham, AL$80,087
Winston Salem, NC$80,045
Lake Charles, LA$79,837
Anderson, IN$79,820
Lexington, KY$79,794
Augusta, GA$79,768
Greenville, SC$79,768
Lima, OH$79,699
Wichita, KS$79,691
Tuscaloosa, AL$79,691
Columbia, SC$79,613
Springfield, OH$79,596
Asheville, NC$79,458
Bloomington, IN$79,398
Knoxville, TN$79,087
Shreveport, LA$79,079
Wilmington, NC$78,967
Roanoke, VA$78,967
Topeka, KS$78,811
Frankfort, KY$78,802
Oklahoma City, OK$78,742
Chillicothe, OH$78,708
Longview, TX$78,699
Melbourne, FL$78,691
Sioux Falls, SD$78,553
Mobile, AL$78,544
Terre Haute, IN$78,510
Altoona, PA$78,458
Amarillo, TX$78,398
Killeen, TX$78,372
Fayetteville, AR$78,303
Chattanooga, TN$78,277
Sioux City, IA$78,199
Idaho Falls, ID$78,182
Lynchburg, VA$78,113
Gainesville, FL$78,001
Portsmouth, OH$77,958
Little Rock, AR$77,941
Lafayette, LA$77,906
Youngstown, OH$77,906
Daytona Beach, FL$77,855
Clarksville, TN$77,846
Pensacola, FL$77,837
Temple, TX$77,831
Hopkinsville, KY$77,579
Erie, PA$77,562
Florence, SC$77,527
Charleston, WV$77,389
Great Falls, MT$77,346
Macon, GA$77,225
Tallahassee, FL$77,217
Fayetteville, NC$77,199
Waco, TX$77,182
Helena, MT$77,122
Pine Bluff, AR$77,089
Vincennes, IN$76,984
Lubbock, TX$76,949
Alamogordo, NM$76,898
Twin Falls, ID$76,820
Rapid City, SD$76,794
Jackson, MS$76,639
Huntington, WV$76,633
Greenville, MS$76,631
Parkersburg, WV$76,543
Montgomery, AL$76,527
Wichita Falls, TX$76,441
Springfield, MO$76,441
Biloxi, MS$76,398
Monroe, LA$76,312
Johnstown, PA$76,251
Sumter, SC$76,217
Columbus, GA$76,208
Pascagoula, MS$76,044
Abilene, TX$76,044
Kingsport, TN$75,820
Albany, GA$75,820
Gulfport, MS$75,794
Alexandria, LA$75,510
Fort Smith, AR$75,294
El Paso, TX$75,062
Las Cruces, NM$74,674
Harlingen, TX$74,455
Pocatello, ID$74,441
Florence, AL$74,329
Brownsville, TX$74,312
Mcallen, TX$74,131
Dothan, AL$74,010
Columbus, MS$73,498
Altus, OK$73,096
Lawton, OK$72,933
Pierre, SD$72,622
What Skills Can Increase a Photo Researcher's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Attention to Detail (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
Illustration (Mentioned in 2.63% Job Postings): Using creative artwork to explain or depict a particular meaning to come across the viewer's mind.
Brand Awareness (Mentioned in 1.2% Job Postings): Brand awareness is the extent to which customers are able to recall or recognize a brand under different conditions. Brand awareness is one of two dimensions from brand knowledge, an associative network memory model.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Photo Researcher's salary.
Sense Of Urgency: Can increase your salary by up to 50%.
File Management: Can increase your salary by up to 28%.
Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Photo Researcher Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Photo Researcher roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Photo Researcher positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Photo Researcher as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Photo Researcher
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$112,058
$54.0
30%
Software & Networking
$107,748
$52.0
25%
Internet
$103,438
$50.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$103,438
$50.0
20%
Financial Services
$99,128
$48.0
15%
How Education impacts a Photo Researcher's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Photo Researchers enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Photo Researcher with a No Diploma is between
$68,770
and $74,858).
Photo Researcher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Photo Researcher's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$79,900
Average$86,199/year
$94,216
$6,658
Average$7,183/month
$7,851
$1,537
Average$1,658/week
$1,812
$38
Average$41/hour
$45
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$94,216
$7,851
$1,812
$45
Average
$86,199
$7,183
$1,658
$41
25th Percentile
$79,900
$6,658
$1,537
$38
Salaries of Jobs related to Photo Researcher
Photo Supervisor$109,939
Researcher$91,642
Photo Stylist$88,835
Photo Coordinator$71,107
Photo Retoucher$70,086
Photo Journalist$69,219
Producer, Photo$67,959
Photo Specialist$60,388
Photo Assistant$57,610
Photo Archivist$40,746
Photo Technician$36,414
Salary Trends for Photo Researcher
Salaries for a Photo Researcher can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $86,745 in 2023
to around $85,936 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Photo Researcher salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Photo Researcher Over Time
$???
$86,745
$86,509
$85,936
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$86,745
2024
$86,509
2025
$85,936
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Photo Researcher
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Photo Researcher
Here are companies hiring for Photo Researcher and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Photo Researcher
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Photo Researcher?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Photo Researcher roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
