Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Take On?
The core tasks performed by photographic process workers and processing machine operators span:
- 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.
What Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Need to Know
Top photographic process workers and processing machine operators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Air Brush Artist
- Airbrush Artist
- Art Tracer
- Automatic Developer
- Automatic Mounter
- Automatic Print Developer
- Black and White Printer Operator
- Color Laboratory Technician
How Many Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Are There?
The U.S. employs around 852,250 photographic process workers and processing machine operators working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +2.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,651 |
| Hourly median | $21.95 |
| 10th percentile | $31,211 |
| 25th percentile | $38,431 |
| 75th percentile | $52,871 |
| 90th percentile | $60,090 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $72,160 |
| Washington | $51,730 |
| Michigan | $51,590 |
| Maryland | $50,770 |
| Ohio | $50,120 |
| California | $45,850 |
| Wisconsin | $44,750 |
| New Jersey | $41,250 |
| Utah | $40,250 |
| Kentucky | $38,900 |
| Oregon | $38,650 |
| Texas | $37,980 |
| Missouri | $37,370 |
| Massachusetts | $37,230 |
| Virginia | $36,430 |
| Indiana | $36,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,130 |
| Florida | $35,960 |
| New Mexico | $35,960 |
| Arizona | $35,520 |
| North Carolina | $33,590 |
| Iowa | $32,100 |
| Tennessee | $31,370 |
| Georgia | $29,830 |
| Illinois | $29,120 |
| Kansas | $29,120 |
| Alabama | $28,910 |
| South Carolina | $28,860 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for photographic process workers and processing machine operators vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $52,205 | 19.3% | 1.22 |
| Great Lakes | $47,373 | 23.6% | 3.57 |
| Far Western US | $45,830 | 23.0% | 1.35 |
| Rocky Mountains | $40,250 | 2.4% | 1.78 |
| Southwest | $37,559 | 5.2% | 0.67 |
| Southeast | $33,786 | 23.2% | 1.51 |
| Plains States | $31,355 | 2.6% | 1.37 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $74,880 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $69,360 | 320 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $53,290 | 120 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $49,640 | 30 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $49,350 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $48,600 | 360 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $47,760 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $47,100 | 70 |
Top Industries Employing Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
Most photographic process workers and processing machine operators work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,920 | $37,760 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,030 | $36,130 |
| Information | 910 | $51,590 |
| Manufacturing | 490 | $41,460 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 340 | $34,370 |
| Retail Trade | 310 | $37,230 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 140 | $76,590 |
| Educational Services | 110 | $48,600 |
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators work in the following industries:
Software Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Use
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Cascading style sheets CSS (hot technology)
- Application server software: Docker (hot technology)
- File versioning software: Git (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of photographic process workers and processing machine operators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Education and Training
Entry-level photographic process workers and processing machine operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Photonics Technicians (Supplemental)
- Photographers (Primary-Long)
- Motion Picture Projectionists (Supplemental)
- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer (Primary-Short)
- Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers (Supplemental)
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9151.00 (Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators).
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