Career Catalog

• Median Pay: $26.29 hourly / $54,680 annual (BLS, 27-1024 Graphic Designers 2018)
• Pay Range: $14.23 – $41.23 hourly / $29,610 – $85,760 annually (BLS, 27-1024 Graphic Designers 2018)
• Education Level: 62% bachelors degree, 15% associates degree (O*NET, Graphic Designers, Nd)
• Top Paying Industries: government, manufacturing. securities/financial, legal services (BLS, 27-1024 Graphic Designers 2018)
• Location of Work: Office/studio setting
• Employment: 1 in 5 graphic designers are self-employed (BLS, Graphic Designers, 2018)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): this is a hunting job, especially for freelance – work is not recurring since each work order is for a new client or a new campaign for an existing client
• Level of job security: job outlook is projected to grow 4% between 2016 and 2026, which is slower than other fields and is expected to result in increasing levels of competition within the field (BLS, Graphic Designers 2018).

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017, 27-1024 Graphic Designers.” 2017. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271024.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Graphic Designers.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm . Accessed 14APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 27-1024.00 – Graphic Designers.” Nd. https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-1024.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

Note: The majority of web searches for “web designer” have populated results for “web developer.” While design as related to websites is more closely related to visual aspects, and development is more closely related to programming and function, the terms are commonly blended by government labor databases. For the purpose of analyzing financial data, we will borrow the description for web developers as described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site. (BLS, Web Developers 2018).

• Median Pay: $35.63 hourly / $74,110 annual (BLS, 15-1134 Web Developers 2018)
• Pay Range: $17.71 – $58.81 hourly / $36,830 – $122,320 annually (BLS, 15-1134.00 Web Developers 2018)
• Education Level: 46% bachelors degree, 17% associates degree (O*NET, Web Developers, 2017)
• Top Paying Industries: rental and leasing services, personal services, air transportation, audio and video manufacturing, software publishers (BLS, 15-1134 Web Developers Nd)
• Location of Work: Office/studio setting
• Employment: 1 in 6 web designers are self-employed (BLS, Web Developers Nd)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): this is a farming job – work has a project-based beginning, in which income is large and irregular; after a website is established ongoing maintenance results in recurring work and income
• Level of job security: job outlook is projected to grow 15% between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than other which is expected to be driven by mobile design and e-commerce (BLS, Web Developers 2018).

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017 15-1134 Web Developers.” 2017.  https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes151134.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Web Developers.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/OOH/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 15-1134.00 – Web Developers.” Nd.  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1134.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

• Median Pay: $20.56 hourly / $42,770 annual (BLS, 27-4021 Photographers 2018)
• Pay Range: $9.54 – $36.71 hourly / $19,850 – $76,360 annually (BLS, 27-4021 Photographers 2018)
• Education Level: 28% high school diploma, 20% associates degree (O*NET, Photographers Nd)
• Top Paying Industries: aerospace and parts manufacturing, local government, motion picture and video industries, printing and related activities, travel and reservation services (BLS, 27-4021 Photographers 2018)
• Location of Work: Partly in field or studio – partly in a digital darkroom (or traditional darkroom). Field work will have cost of travel.
• Employment: 60% of photographers are self-employed (CareerOneStop, Photographers Nd)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): this is a typically hunting job, but is mostly determined by specialization – family photographers and event photographers will find some recurring work, but this is typically on an annual basis. The majority of other photography is irregular and thus photographers must regularly seek new opportunities.
• Level of job security: Salaried photography is projected to decline by 6% between 2016 and 2026. This creates more opportunities for freelance photography (BLS, Photographers 2018).

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018 27-4021 Photographers.”  2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274021.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Photographers.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/photographers.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

CareerOneStop. “Photographers Career Video.” Nd. https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=27402100 . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 27-4021.00 – Photographers.” Nd.  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-4021.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

Note: Video production is commonly divided into three phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. Each phase involves a different skillset or further divisions of skillsets. Studio operators (camera crew, lighting, sound technicians, etc.) are focused on developing raw video and sound assets during production whereas video editors process this material into a final product during post-production. The Bureau of Labor Statistics gives attention to each of these phases as integral parts of video production but overlooks pre-production due to the elusiveness of income in this phase. Therefore, the reporting of income related to video production is focused on the latter two phases.

• Median Pay for Camera Operators: $29.69 hourly / $61,750 annual (BLS, 27-4031 Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture 2018)
• Pay Range for Camera Operators: $12.40 – $49.27 hourly / $25,290 – $102,470 annually (BLS, 27-4031 Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture 2018)
• Education Level for Camera Operators: 41% associates degree, 24% bachelors degree, 18% high school diploma (O*NET, Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture, Nd)
• Median Pay for Film and Video Editors: $41.75 hourly / $86,830 annually (BLS, 27-4032 Film and Video Editors 2018)
• Pay Range for Film and Video Editors: $15.36 – $81.75 hourly / $31,940 – $170,040 annual (BLS, 27-4032 Film and Video Editors 2018)
• Education Level: 50% bachelors degree, 26% some college/no degree, 12% high school diploma (O*NET, Film and Video Editors Nd)
• Top Paying Industries: motion picture and video industries, accounting, federal executive (government), management services, employment services (BLS, 27-4032 Film and Video Editors 2018)
• Location of Work: Field or studio during production – editing booth at a studio or a private office for post-production
• Employment: most video production professionals work in an office or studio (BLS, Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators, 2018)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): these are hunting jobs – work is project based

Level of job security: job outlook is projected to grow 16% between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than other which is expected due to streaming internet services such as videos for websites, video social media channels (YouTube), and video subscriptions including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu (BLS, Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators, 2018)

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018 27-4031 Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274031.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018 27-4032 Film and Video Editors.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274032.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/film-and-video-editors-and-camera-operators.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

CareerOneStop. “Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture Career Video.” Nd. https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=27403100 . Accessed 13APR2019.

CareerOneStop. “Film and Video Editors Career Video.” Nd. https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=27403200 . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 27-4032.00 – Film and Video Editors.” Nd. https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-4032.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 27-4031.00 – Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture.” Nd. https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-4031.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

• Median Pay: $36.81 hourly / $76,560 annual (BLS, 27-1014 Multimedia Artists and Animators 2018)
• Pay Range: $18.91 – $59.17 hourly / $39,330 – $123,060 annually (BLS, 27-1014 Multimedia Artists and Animators 2018)
• Education Level: 62% bachelors degree, 19% associates degree, 17% some college (O*NET, Multimedia Artists and Animators Nd)
• Top Paying Industries: professional and commercial equipment and supplies wholesalers, aerospace parts and manufacturing, motion picture and video industries, software publishers, information services (BLS, 27-1014 Multimedia Artists and Animators 2018)
• Location of Work: Studio setting.
• Employment: Half of multimedia artists and animators are employed and half are self-employed (CareerOneStop, Multimedia Artists and Animators Nd)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): this is a farming job due to regular demand for animated video, animated infographics, and interactive entertainment across platforms.
• Level of job security: job outlook is projected to grow 8% between 2016 and 2026, which is average among all occupations. Growth is expected due to increasing demand in video games, internet video, movies, and television (BLS, Multimedia Artists and Animators 2018).

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Multimedia Artists and Animators.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/multimedia-artists-and-animators.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017 27-1014 Multimedia Artists and Animators.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes271014.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

CareerOneStop. “Multimedia Artists and Animators Career Video.” Nd. https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=27101400 . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Summary Report for: 27-1014.00 – Multimedia Artists and Animators.” Nd.  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-1014.00 . Accessed 13APR2019.

• Median Pay: $22.47 hourly / $46,750 annual (BLS, 43-9031 Desktop Publishers 2018)
• Pay Range: $10.95 – $36.12 hourly / $22,770 – $75,120 annually (BLS, 43-9031 Desktop Publishers 2018)
• Education Level: 28% associates degree, 27% bachelors degree, 18% post-secondary certificate (O*NET, Desktop Publishers Nd)
• Top Paying Industries: aerospace products parts and manufacturing, securities and financial services, scientific research and development, business and professional organizations, scientific instrument manufacturing (BLS, 43-9031 Desktop Publishers 2018)
• Location of Work: Office
• Employment: (no statistical data found on employment to self-employment ratio)
• Regularity of work (hunting vs. farming): this is a hunting job that has a similar nature and pace to graphic design – work is not recurring since each work order is for a new client or a new campaign for an existing client. However, self-publishing allows the opportunity for work that is not on-demand.
• Level of job security: job outlook is projected to decline 14% between 2016 and 2026, which is places this category at the greatest rate of deterioration among all of the job fields in visual communications. Desktop publishing is currently being grafted into graphic and web design as part of these skillsets. However, this field is not on the path to extinction due to the continuing demand for book publishing that does show disruption from the other career fields. (BLS, Desktop Publishers 2018).

References

CareerOneStop. “Desktop Publishers Career Video.” Nd. https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=43903100 . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018 43-9031 Desktop Publishers.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes439031.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018 43-9031 Desktop Publishers.” 2018. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes439031.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.

O*NET. “Desktop Publishers.” Nd.  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/desktop-publishers.htm . Accessed 13APR2019.