How much does a professional headshot cost?

A professional headshot from a photographer usually costs somewhere in the low hundreds of dollars for one person, and considerably more in the largest cities or with extras. The price is rarely one number: it is a session, plus the pictures you keep, plus everything that makes a session longer or more involved. Below is what published sources say, what drives the price, and where an AI headshot fits.

What photographers charge

What	Figure	Source
A headshot session, national average	$216 low-end, $304 average, $427 high-end	Thumbtack, January 2025
A headshot session, typical range	$75 to $350	Bark, August 2026
A headshot photographer, by the hour	$100 to $230 an hour, about $150 on average	Bark, January 2025
An extra retouched picture	$20 to $125, depending on the studio	Published studio price lists (below), September 2026
Hair and makeup	$150 to $350	Published studio price lists (below), September 2026
Commercial use of the same session	about $500 to $1,000, against $200 for personal use	Bark (an example, not survey data), August 2026

Every source here says the same thing in its own words: prices vary a lot by city. A session that is a couple of hundred dollars in one place can be twice that in New York or Los Angeles.

What moves the price

• Session length. Most studios price by time: thirty minutes, an hour, two.
• Looks. Each outfit or background change takes time, and some studios charge per look.
• Retouched pictures. A package usually includes one or a few retouched pictures; each extra one costs more, often a lot more.
• Retouching level. Light clean-up and full editorial retouching are priced differently.
• Hair and makeup. Usually a separate artist, booked through the studio.
• Location. A photographer coming to your office adds a travel or on-site fee.
• Turnaround. Retouched files typically take a few days; next-day or two-day delivery costs extra.
• Usage. Personal use is the default; commercial use in advertising is often licensed separately.

Published studio price lists

Four real price lists from studios in three cities, as published on their own sites:

JW Headshots, New York

• $395: 1 look, 1 retouched picture, up to 30 minutes
• $595: 2 looks, 2 retouched, up to an hour
• $995: 4 looks, 4 retouched, up to 2 hours
• Express delivery adds $125 (two days) or $250 (next day); an on-site visit in Manhattan adds $350.

Headshots NYC, New York

• $450: 30 minutes, 1 retouched
• $650: 60 minutes, 2 retouched
• $950: 2 hours, 3 retouched

Bradford Rogne Photography, Los Angeles

• $325 for one look, $425 for two, $525 for three
• $500 for a 60-minute session
• Retouching is priced per picture, on top.

CK Headshots, Atlanta

• $200: 30 to 45 minutes, 1 retouched
• $300: 45 to 60 minutes, 2 retouched
• $375: up to 90 minutes, 3 retouched

Read on each studio's own price page, 24 September 2026. Prices change; check before you book.

Where an AI headshot fits

An AI headshot service replaces the session with the photos already on your phone. With Headshot DP you upload 8 to 20 ordinary photos, choose what you wear, where you are and the light, and see one headshot of your own face free before you pay. Plans start at $25.00 for 8 HD headshots, each one a different photograph; see pricing for the rest.

What you give up is a person in the room directing you, and a real place of your choosing. What you gain is time, several looks without several outfit changes, and seeing the result before paying. AI headshot vs photographer weighs the two properly, and our AI headshot generator shows how it works.

Questions

Why do headshot prices vary so much?

Because the session is only part of it. The number of retouched pictures, extra looks, hair and makeup, travel and rush delivery are usually charged on top, and prices differ widely between cities.

How many retouched pictures do I need?

For a profile picture, one or two good ones. For a website, a speaker page and a profile, a few in different looks is more useful than many of one.

How long does a photographer take to deliver?

Studios commonly quote a few days for retouched files, with paid options for next-day or two-day delivery.

How much is an AI headshot?

With Headshot DP, one headshot of your own face is free, and plans start at $25.00, one payment, nothing renewing.