Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
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.
Also called: Digital Printer Operator · Film Processor · Film Technician · Lab Technician · Photo Lab Specialist · Photo Lab Technician (Photographic Laboratory Technician)
Median pay (national)
$40,100
$30,840–$69,290 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
5,550
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-2.6%
~1,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for photographic process workers and processing machine operators shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $69,290 versus $30,840 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $40,100 leaves roughly 73% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -2.6% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 1,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 28 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $72,160, +80% vs the national median), while South Carolina sits lowest at $28,860 — a 150% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software.
- Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements.
- Review computer-processed digital images for quality.
- Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
- Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
- Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines.
- Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
- Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
- Monitor equipment operation to detect malfunctions.
- Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Cascading style sheets CSS
- Docker
- Git
- MongoDB
- MySQL
- SAP software
- Structured query language SQL
- TypeScript
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Chemistry
- Sales and Marketing
- Education and Training