Male photographers still earn more than their female counterparts, says study

Male photographers earn an average of $25 per hour more than female photographers, according to a recent study. The study surveyed freelancers in the USA in all industries, finding that male freelancers earn approximately 26% more than female freelancers.

The study was done by Ondeck, who also found that the number of US-based freelancers grew by 91% between 2020 and 2023. Almost 45% of the workforce is considered freelance in some way or another.

So, back to those photography numbers. The study found a $25 average difference in hourly rate between male and female photographers. This is people setting their own rates, remember. Male photographers earned $100.50 an hour, whereas female photographers earned $75.41. This presumably covered portrait, wedding and other local photography services.

However, things were a little different when it came to product photography and videography, with women actually earning a higher average hourly rate than men. For product photography, women earned $21.97/hr more than men, and for videography a whopping $47.42/hr more.

This disparity seems quite interesting within the genres. I wonder if it is also somewhat skewed by the proportion of male to female workers in each industry. I would risk a bet to say that both product photography and the videography world have fewer women working in them in general.

Therefore, to get anywhere in those fields, women have to work harder and be better at what they do. They are then able to charge higher rates, relatively.

The more consumer types of photography naturally have larger numbers of women working in them, many of whom have had no business training or prior experience at running a profitable business. It makes sense then, that some of these women are undervaluing their services. Of course, this is not gender specific, but it could be one explanation for the disparity.

Obviously this study is only relevant to the US. It would be interesting to compare it with other parts of the world. In Europe for example, businesses and companies have to abide by strict rules regarding pay and gender. However, freelancers are not subject to those laws.

The study also published some guidelines on how you can better charge what you’re worth if you’re working as a freelancer.

Do research the local rates, Ondeck suggests, and don’t undercharge just to get the job, you’ll probably end up regretting it later.

Consider your experience, education and skills. Rather than price yourself according to your confidence levels, use objective metrics to calculate how you stack up against others offering a similar service. And keep those skills and experiences updated, and raise your rates appropriately.

Always be transparent about compensation, and list everything. Don’t be afraid to negotiate, particularly on the smaller details.

Overall, things are pretty fair in the creative industries, according to this study. Far better than in the legal professions at any rate!