SBA loans for photography businesses
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan data [source] · File as of September 30, 2026 · Loans approved in federal fiscal years 2024–2026 (Oct 2023 – Sept 2026) · Imported November 4, 2026
Photography Studios, Portrait (NAICS 541921)
267loans approved
$50,000median loan
$25K–$135Kmiddle half of loans
$37.5Mtotal approved
11%median initial rate
10 yrsmedian term
Borrowers reported 1,109 jobs created or retained.
1.5% of these loans went to franchise locations.
Loan sizes
States with the most loans
| State | Loans | Median |
|---|---|---|
| California | 41 | $55,000 |
| Texas | 25 | $97,100 |
| Florida | 22 | $50,000 |
| New York | 21 | $75,000 |
| New Jersey | 13 | $85,000 |
| Massachusetts | 12 | $25,000 |
| Illinois | 10 | $75,000 |
Most active lenders
| Lender | Loans | Median | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newtek Bank, National Association | 42 | $90,000 | $6.4M |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 39 | $40,000 | $3.4M |
| The Huntington National Bank | 19 | $60,000 | $1.6M |
| TD Bank, National Association | 18 | $20,250 | $676K |
| Northeast Bank | 17 | $50,000 | $1.7M |
| U.S. Bank, National Association | 13 | $38,300 | $435K |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 13 | $25,000 | $528K |
| Lendistry Sblc, LLC | 10 | $112,700 | $1.1M |
Commercial Photography (NAICS 541922)
116loans approved
$63,500median loan
$31K–$150Kmiddle half of loans
$23.2Mtotal approved
11%median initial rate
10 yrsmedian term
Borrowers reported 588 jobs created or retained.
1.7% of these loans went to franchise locations.
Loan sizes
States with the most loans
| State | Loans | Median |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 16 | $94,900 |
| California | 15 | $127,700 |
Most active lenders
| Lender | Loans | Median | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Huntington National Bank | 14 | $65,000 | $2.7M |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 13 | $50,000 | $1.1M |
Planning one? Read how to start a photography business and model payments with the loan calculator.
What this data does — and doesn't — tell you
- Approvals, not applications. These are loans SBA approved. The data has no denials, so it cannot tell you your odds of approval.
- Loan size is not startup cost. 7(a) loans also pay for buying existing businesses, real estate, equipment, refinancing and working capital.
- Gross approval amount. Figures are the full approved loan, including the part SBA does not guarantee. Some approved loans are later reduced or never fully disbursed.
- Industry codes are assigned at approval (NAICS) and can be imprecise — a mobile detailer may be coded as a car wash, for example.
- Medians beat averages here: a few very large loans pull averages up. We show the median and the middle half (25th–75th percentile).
- No default rates. Most recent loans are still being repaid, so charge-off rates for these years would be misleading. We don't show them.
- Cancelled loans are excluded, and any group with fewer than 10 loans is hidden. We never publish borrower names.
- Lender counts aren't a quality rating. Big national lenders make many small loans; local lenders may know your market better. Talk to several, or use SBA Lender Match.