DOL Filings vs BLS Survey
What Employers File with DOL
This figure comes from 207 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.
What BLS Says the Market Pays
This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 51,230 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.
Salary Distribution
Top Paying Employers for Photographers
Ranked by median salary from DOL filings| Rank | Employer | Median Salary | Filings | vs Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPECIAL PROJECTS STUDIO LLC | $76,000 | 5 | +78.7% |
| 2 | WILLIAM WEGMAN | $49,920 | 5 | +17.4% |
Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs National | Filings | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $52,000 | +17.9% | 24 | 16 |
| Brooklyn, NY | $45,760 | +3.7% | 11 | 8 |
Salary by State
| State | Median | vs National | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $62,192 | +13.8% | 1 |
| Utah | $54,912 | +15.3% | 1 |
| California | $52,000 | +2.8% | 20 |
| Tennessee | $46,573 | +29.4% | 3 |
| New York | $43,880 | -24% | 38 |
| Texas | $42,897 | +16.7% | 6 |
| Nebraska | $42,250 | +8.3% | 14 |
| Florida | $41,600 | +8.8% | 5 |
| Illinois | $38,844 | +12.3% | 6 |
| Wisconsin | $37,523 | -4.9% | 1 |
| Georgia | $36,536 | -8.8% | 4 |
| New Mexico | $32,500 | -21.9% | 1 |
| Maine | $30,656 | -31.3% | 2 |
| North Carolina | $29,120 | -24.2% | 1 |
| New Jersey | $26,603 | -47.6% | 4 |
| Virginia | $26,458 | -38.7% | 2 |
| Hawaii | $25,000 | -45% | 1 |
Salary Trend - DOL Data
Education Requirements
From PERM filingsFor Photographers positions, 21% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 55% required no formal degree.
Education by Top Employer
Most common minimum education from PERM filings| Employer | Most Common Education | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM WEGMAN | Not specified | $49,920 |
| SPECIAL PROJECTS STUDIO LLC | Not specified | $76,000 |
Salary by Industry
Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)The highest-paying industry for Photographers is Professional and Technical Services at $58,884.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on 207 DOL filings, the median salary for a Photographers is $44,117, ranging from $32,500 to $54,912.
The 90th percentile salary is $94,760 according to BLS data.
Based on DOL filings, New York, NY offers the highest median at $52,000.
DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Photographers positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.
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