Average Photographer Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Photographer salary for 2024 in United Kingdom and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does a Photographer Make in United Kingdom?

A Photographer working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 38,900 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 18,200 GBP to the highest average salary of 62,600 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
38,900 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
3,241 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
18,200 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,516 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
62,600 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
5,216 GBP

These are average salaries for a Photographer in United Kingdom and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Photographer to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Photographer salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Photographer Salaries in United Kingdom

So we've looked at the average salaries a Photographer will earn in United Kingdom. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Photographer can earn between 18,200 GBP and 62,600 GBP on average in United Kingdom. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Photographer in United Kingdom is 41,000 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 41,000 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 41,000 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Photographer salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 26,100 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 26,100 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 53,600 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 53,600 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Photographer Salary by Experience Level in United Kingdom

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average photographer salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Photographer in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 23,100 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Photographer salary would increase to 29,600 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Photographer, the average salary would be 43,200 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 51,300 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Photographer with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 54,900 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Photographer with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 59,200 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
23,100 GBP
2-5 Years +29%
29,600 GBP
5-10 Years +38%
43,200 GBP
10-15 Years +24%
51,300 GBP
15-20 Years +7%
54,900 GBP
20+ Years +7%
59,200 GBP

Photographer Salary by Education Level in United Kingdom

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Photographer in United Kingdom based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Photographer in United Kingdom with a high school education can earn an average salary of 29,300 GBP.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Photographer in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 33,000 GBP.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Photographer in United Kingdom with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 43,800 GBP.

  • Master's Degree. A Photographer in United Kingdom with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 56,400 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
29,300 GBP
Certificate or Diploma +15%
33,000 GBP
Bachelor's Degree +35%
43,800 GBP
Master's Degree +26%
56,400 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Photographer Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United Kingdom, a male photographer will earn an average of 41,000 GBP, while a female photographer will earn around 39,300 GBP.

This means that a male photographer earns approximately 4% more than a female photographer for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
41,000 GBP
Female -4%
39,300 GBP

Photographer Average Pay Raise in United Kingdom

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Photographer in United Kingdom is around 11% every 15 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 15 ) × 12  = 9%

What this means is that a Photographer in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United Kingdom for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Photographer Bonus and Incentive Rates in United Kingdom

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Photographer is a low bonus based job, with 32% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

68% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
32%
No Bonus
68%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
72,700 GBP
Private Sector -7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Photographer

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Photographer in United Kingdom.

Job Title Category Salary
Advertising Account Executive Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 81,600 GBP
Advertising Account Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 84,800 GBP
Advertising Account Planner Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 45,200 GBP
Advertising and Promotions Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 114,900 GBP
Advertising Coordinator Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 57,400 GBP
Advertising Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 119,700 GBP
Advertising Operations Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 124,500 GBP
Advertising Sales Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 119,700 GBP
Advertising Strategic Planner Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 81,200 GBP
Advertising Team Leader Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 66,900 GBP
Animator Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 53,300 GBP
Art Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 74,000 GBP
Art Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 68,300 GBP
Artist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 61,400 GBP
Artworker Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 40,300 GBP
Assistant Art Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 54,100 GBP
Audio and Video Equipment Technician Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 42,700 GBP
Audio Engineer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 51,800 GBP
Audiosual Technician Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 43,500 GBP
Broadcast Administrator Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 74,100 GBP
Catering Sales Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 46,100 GBP
Catering Trainer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 54,100 GBP
Commercial and Industrial Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 44,300 GBP
Conference Organiser Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 51,900 GBP
Content and Media Production Lead Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 77,100 GBP
CopyWriter Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 49,400 GBP
Creative Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 54,100 GBP
Creative Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 71,200 GBP
Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 39,500 GBP
Desktop Publisher Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 33,300 GBP
Digital Campaign Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 80,200 GBP
Digital Media Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 86,100 GBP
Digital Media Strategist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 88,300 GBP
Director of Events Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 119,700 GBP
Director of Graphic Design Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 63,700 GBP
Director of Social Media Marketing Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 92,900 GBP
Events and Promotions Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 114,900 GBP
Events Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 123,000 GBP
Exhibit Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 54,100 GBP
Exhibit Display Coordinator Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 54,100 GBP
Exhibit Display Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 74,700 GBP
Finisher Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 35,600 GBP
Graphic Artist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 47,600 GBP
Graphic Design Specialist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 55,100 GBP
Graphic Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 44,300 GBP
Graphics Artist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 45,200 GBP
Graphics Design Supervisor Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 63,100 GBP
Group Creative Director Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 83,800 GBP
Imagery Analyst Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 43,500 GBP
Imaging Technologist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 44,300 GBP
Interaction Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 37,800 GBP
Media Analyst Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 58,000 GBP
Media Executive Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 70,600 GBP
Media Planner Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 60,400 GBP
Media Production Coordinator Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 55,400 GBP
Media Production Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 99,700 GBP
Media Project Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 96,500 GBP
Media Relations Representative Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 77,100 GBP
Media Sales Executive Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 96,000 GBP
Meeting and Event Planner Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 52,800 GBP
Multimedia Artist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 44,500 GBP
Multimedia Specialist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 44,300 GBP
PPC Campaign Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 77,000 GBP
Print Production Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 83,800 GBP
Product and Brand Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 108,200 GBP
Sales Promotion Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 109,000 GBP
Search Engine Optimization Specialist (SEO) Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 48,300 GBP
Sketch Artist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 48,300 GBP
Social Media Executive Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 94,900 GBP
Social Media Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 86,800 GBP
Social Media Marketing Manager Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 90,600 GBP
Social Media Strategist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 91,500 GBP
Special Events Supervisor Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 68,900 GBP
Technical Typist Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 30,200 GBP
User Experience UX Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 51,300 GBP
UX Designer Advertising / Graphic Design / Events 45,000 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Aberdeen 51,033 GBP
Abingdon 42,100 GBP
Armagh 49,067 GBP
Bangor 42,333 GBP
Belfast 51,800 GBP
Birmingham 57,367 GBP
Bradford 53,633 GBP
Brighton 50,100 GBP
Bristol 53,867 GBP
Cambridge 47,200 GBP
Canterbury 44,133 GBP
Cardiff 53,700 GBP
Chester 46,300 GBP
Coventry 53,800 GBP
Derby 49,700 GBP
Derry 48,267 GBP
Dundee 49,600 GBP
Durham 46,233 GBP
Edinburgh 54,767 GBP
Exeter 46,900 GBP
Glasgow 55,300 GBP
Gloucester 47,967 GBP
Hartlepool 44,467 GBP
Inverness 42,367 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 52,867 GBP
Kirkwall 42,700 GBP
Leeds 57,300 GBP
Leicester 54,667 GBP
Lincoln 47,900 GBP
Lisburn 46,867 GBP
Liverpool 54,900 GBP
London 55,100 GBP
Manchester 56,800 GBP
Newcastle 54,700 GBP
Newport 48,433 GBP
Newry 46,733 GBP
Norwich 46,467 GBP
Nottingham 51,967 GBP
Oxford 48,233 GBP
Peterborough 52,867 GBP
Plymouth 51,867 GBP
Poole 47,333 GBP
Portsmouth 49,467 GBP
Ripon 42,033 GBP
Salisbury 45,300 GBP
Sheffield 55,433 GBP
Somerset 55,333 GBP
Southampton 52,300 GBP
St Davids 42,333 GBP
Stirling 46,333 GBP
Stromness 43,600 GBP
Strontian 41,733 GBP
Swansea 52,300 GBP
Truro 44,700 GBP
Wakefield 42,767 GBP
Wells 43,967 GBP
Winchester 45,100 GBP
Wolverhampton 50,533 GBP
York 49,433 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

City Average Salary
England 92,833 GBP
Northern Ireland 46,067 GBP
Scotland 69,133 GBP
Wales 45,700 GBP

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