Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
SOC 51-9151BLS OEWS May 2025
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.
National median · BLS
$40,610
▲ +1.27%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$46,050
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
4,800
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$30,090
25th
$35,170
Median (50th)
$40,610
75th
$50,150
90th — top pay
$68,800
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
BLS projects employment of photographic process workers and processing machine operators to decline 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 600 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
5,300 → 5,000
-300 jobs
Projected change
-5.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
600
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
14.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operations Monitoring3.5
Active Listening3.4
Quality Control Analysis3.4
Reading Comprehension3.3
Service Orientation3.3
Speaking3.3
Complex Problem Solving3.1
Critical Thinking3.1
Monitoring3.1
Operation and Control3.1
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service3.9
Computers and Electronics3.7
Production and Processing3.1
English Language3.1
Mechanical2.6
Chemistry2.6
Sales and Marketing2.5
Education and Training2.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAmazon Web Services AWS softwareCascading style sheets CSSDockerGitMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMongoDBMySQLSAP softwareStructured query language SQL
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What photographic process workers and processing machine operators do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $40,610.
