Julie Freeman is executive director of the Professional Picture Framers
Association (PPFA). She says the group has a total of about 4,000 members.
She estimates that there are approximately 17,000 picture framers working
in the U.S.
Freeman thinks chances of finding a job on completion of the PPFA's certification
program are very good.
"One of the things we hear constantly from our members is the difficulty
they have in finding framers when they need them," says Freeman. "I think
there is a lot of opportunity."
Freeman cautions that the industry is changing, though. More chain stores
are starting to offer framing services. That puts more pressure on the individual
shops to provide customer service, quality framing and specialty services
in order to be competitive.
"It's not a tremendously high-paying profession if you're an employee,"
she says. Managers tend to be better paid, though, and you can earn more if
you are the owner of the business.
"Gross incomes of framing businesses range from $100,000 to several million
per year," says Molly Webb of the PPFA.
Earnings and employment information from the U.S. Department of Labor is
not available for this field at this time.