Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$47,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$4,000
8.2% of base
Total target cash
$51,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,50050th$4,00075th$6,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operatorss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
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.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisActive ListeningSpeakingService OrientationReading Comprehension
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay by experience level
Entry level$31,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$36,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$42,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$52,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$71,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-2.6%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,500
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators salary by industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
2,330 workers
$46,500
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
2,210 workers
$46,000
Personal and Laundry Services
810 workers
$40,500
Other Personal Services
810 workers
$40,500
Administrative and Support Services
180 workers
$53,000
Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers
140 workers
$39,000
Electronics and Appliance Retailers
140 workers
$39,000
Employment Services
140 workers
$55,000
Miscellaneous Manufacturing
130 workers
$49,500
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
120 workers
$49,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $34,720 to $40,610.
+17.0% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$31,000
Early career25th percentile
$36,500
Median50th percentile
$42,000
Experienced75th percentile
$52,000
Top earners90th percentile
$71,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Operations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisActive ListeningSpeakingService OrientationReading Comprehension
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$47,500
2027$49,000
2028$51,000
2029$52,500
2030$54,500
2031$56,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
Get your Personal Pay Report for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
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StateYears of experienceCurrent salary
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators make?
The median market pay for a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators in the United States is about $47,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators?
Most Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay falls between about $36,500 (25th percentile) and $52,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $71,000.
What does a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators do?
Core responsibilities include: select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software; and create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
Is pay for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $34,720 in 2020 to $40,610 in 2025, a change of +17% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pays 15% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators make?
The average base salary for a Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators in the United States is $47,500 per year, or about $22.84 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $36,500 and $52,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
