Love your headshots or get your money back 
Guide · Updated October 20, 2026
How much do professional headshots cost?
Short answer
- A studio headshot session costs $100–$900 in the 20 US cities we checked, typically about $340, usually for a few retouched photos.
- AI headshot services cost $25–$79 for a full set of 20–150 headshots.
- Proud Look starts at $25 for 54 headshots in 4K, with a full refund within 7 days.
Studio headshot prices by city
From the published price lists of studios and photographers in each city, checked in October 2026. Prices are for one person; packages differ, so check with the studio.
| City | Studio price | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | $395–$825 | Studio sessions we found ran from about $395 for a 30-minute introductory session to $825 for 90 minutes, usually with only one retouched image included; a 2026 NYC photographer's guide puts most corporate sessions at $250–$600. |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125–$900 | From about $125 for one look with one retouched photo to $900 for a three-look package; extra looks often cost $100 or more, and hair and makeup about $200. |
| Miami, FL | $200–$670 | From a 30-minute studio mini session at about $200 to a 10-photo studio package at $670; one studio that does corporate work lists $350 an hour. |
| Chicago, IL | $100–$750 | From about $100 for a budget headshot (express options from $70) to $750 for an individual shoot; a 30-minute session with one retouched image is about $200. |
| San Francisco, CA | $299–$549 | From $299 for a 30-minute session with three looks and three retouched images to $549 for a 30-minute session with one retouched headshot; on-location shoots can be $550 plus $125 per image. |
| Austin, TX | $155–$690 | From about $155 for an individual headshot to $690 for a one-hour studio session; mid-range studios list express sessions at $375–$425, and some charge $100 per image on top. |
| Denver, CO | $325–$475 | From $325 for a 30-minute mini session with one retouched headshot to $475 for a one-hour session; another studio's basic package is $349 for two retouched images. |
| Washington, DC, DC | $250–$550 | From $250 for a headshot session to $550 for two professional headshots; one area studio charges $195 plus $150 per image. |
| Orlando, FL | $250–$499 | From about $250 for a session with one image to $499 for a two-hour studio session with one retouched image; extra retouched images can cost $75–$150 each. |
| Las Vegas, NV | $215–$500 | From about $215 for a basic headshot session to $400 for a pro session and $500 for a branding session; one studio charges a $300 session fee plus $150 per headshot. |
| Phoenix, AZ | $250–$400 | Studio sessions we found ran $250–$400, and several studios charge $50–$100 per finished image on top of the session fee. |
| Tampa, FL | $150–$499 | From about $150 for a 30-minute on-location session with three retouched images to $499 for a 1.5-hour session with one digital image; one studio lists $350 an hour. |
| San Diego, CA | $179–$375 | From about $179 for a 15-minute studio session with one retouched image to $375 for a one-hour outdoor session; extra retouched images are around $40 each. |
| San Jose, CA | $150–$400 | We found few published prices in San Jose; a local directory lists business headshots at $150–$300 and creative headshots at $200–$400. |
| Atlanta, GA | $195–$325 | From about $195 for one LinkedIn-style photo to $325 for a one-look session; branding packages start around $500. |
| Dallas, TX | $245–$255 | Two Dallas-area studios we found list $245–$255 for a session with a single retouched photo; more images cost extra. |
| Houston, TX | $125–$300 | From about $125 for a short weekday portrait session to about $290–$295 for a studio or one-hour session; self-service headshot booths start around $50. |
| El Paso, TX | $150–$250 | We found few published prices in El Paso; one marketplace listing puts an individual headshot session at $150–$250. |
| Albuquerque, NM | $200 | We found few published prices in Albuquerque; one mobile studio lists a single-person session at $200 with three edited images, plus a booking deposit. |
| San Antonio, TX | $125–$250 | From about $125 for a simple studio headshot to about $225–$250 for a small package of retouched photos; self-guided headshot booths start around $50. |
What changes the price
- Session length: a 30-minute mini session costs far less than a 60–90-minute session.
- How many retouched photos are included: many sessions include only one or a few.
- Per-image fees: some studios charge $50–$100 for each extra finished photo on top of the session.
- Self-service headshot booths are the cheapest studio option, from about $50.
- City: a typical session in New York City costs about 3 times one in San Antonio.
AI headshot prices
AI headshot services make a full set from your phone photos for a one-time $25–$79 (each company's own pricing page, October 19, 2026). The differences are in headshot count, resolution and refund terms: see the full comparison.
When a photographer is worth it
- Acting and casting headshots, where agencies expect a real photo from a session.
- Your firm requires everyone to be shot by the same photographer on the same backdrop.
- You want in-person direction on posing, or a specific real location.
For LinkedIn, resumes, company bios, listings and email signatures, an AI headshot that looks like you does the same job for a fraction of the price. Are AI headshots OK for LinkedIn?