Photographers salary
The median pay for photographers in the United States is $44,660 a year. About 51,760 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $30,820
- 25th percentile
- $36,050
- Median percentile
- $44,660
- 75th percentile
- $62,740
- 90th percentile
- $91,810
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- District of Columbia $110,970
- New York $60,050
- Massachusetts $57,990
- Oregon $53,630
- Utah $52,140
- Delaware $50,100
- Connecticut $49,790
- New Mexico $48,090
- Washington $48,050
- California $47,840
- Kentucky $47,170
- Colorado $47,070
- Maine $46,680
- Virginia $46,550
- Minnesota $46,470
- Maryland $46,450
- Hawaii $45,960
- Mississippi $45,860
- South Dakota $45,330
- New Hampshire $44,780
- Georgia $43,770
- Florida $42,640
- Wisconsin $42,060
- Nebraska $41,920
- Texas $41,280
- New Jersey $40,520
- Pennsylvania $40,520
- Montana $39,900
- Wyoming $39,330
- Alaska $39,190
- Missouri $39,170
- Ohio $38,470
- Iowa $38,290
- Tennessee $37,950
- South Carolina $37,890
- Kansas $37,790
- Nevada $37,460
- North Dakota $37,410
- Rhode Island $37,300
- North Carolina $37,120
- Arizona $36,970
- Louisiana $36,830
- Oklahoma $36,750
- Illinois $36,570
- Alabama $36,130
- West Virginia $36,110
- Indiana $35,960
- Idaho $33,320
- Arkansas $32,810
By metro area
- Bend, OR $65,990
- Fort Collins, CO $62,550
- Boulder, CO $60,930
- Springfield, MA $60,430
- New York, NY $60,050
- Salt Lake City, UT $60,000
- Portland, OR $59,220
- San Francisco, CA $58,840
- Kiryas Joel, NY $58,050
- Charleston, SC $56,890
- Bakersfield, CA $56,220
- Santa Maria, CA $55,220
- Boston, MA $55,020
- Washington, DC $54,530
- Bridgeport, CT $54,260
- Springfield, MO $52,510
- San Jose, CA $52,470
- Montgomery, AL $52,160
- Kahului, HI $51,870
- Seattle, WA $51,790
- Hartford, CT $51,410
- New Haven, CT $51,000
- Albany, NY $50,940
- Santa Fe, NM $50,670
- Manchester, NH $50,620
- Santa Rosa, CA $50,500
- Worcester, MA $50,170
- Providence, RI $50,060
- Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $50,000
- Miami, FL $49,980
- Naples, FL $49,760
- Syracuse, NY $49,560
- Savannah, GA $49,110
- San Luis Obispo, CA $48,790
- Atlanta, GA $48,670
- Reno, NV $48,670
- Albuquerque, NM $48,090
- Pensacola, FL $47,920
- Lakeland, FL $47,870
- Los Angeles, CA $47,840
- Portland, ME $47,720
- Jackson, MS $47,500
- Denver, CO $47,340
- La Crosse, WI $47,300
- Lexington, KY $47,170
- Anchorage, AK $47,040
- Minneapolis, MN $46,960
- Norwich, CT $46,880
- Stockton, CA $46,620
- Jacksonville, FL $46,540
- Waterbury, CT $46,540
- Richmond, VA $46,420
- Panama City, FL $46,410
- Lansing, MI $46,270
- Baltimore, MD $46,170
- Sacramento, CA $45,880
- Sioux Falls, SD $45,760
- Spokane, WA $45,690
- Cape Coral, FL $45,380
- Urban Honolulu, HI $45,300
- Omaha, NE $45,160
- Slidell, LA $45,040
- Corpus Christi, TX $45,000
- Greensboro, NC $44,990
- Milwaukee, WI $44,940
- Hickory, NC $44,840
- Tampa, FL $44,530
- Nashville, TN $44,480
- Waco, TX $44,300
- Charlottesville, VA $44,290
- Modesto, CA $44,240
- Lubbock, TX $44,230
- San Diego, CA $44,030
- Bozeman, MT $44,020
- Dallas, TX $43,970
- Trenton, NJ $43,940
- Oxnard, CA $43,870
- Kansas City, MO $43,750
- Philadelphia, PA $43,750
- Riverside, CA $43,710
- Olympia, WA $43,550
- Tucson, AZ $43,360
- Davenport, IA $43,100
- Scranton, PA $43,060
- Cincinnati, OH $43,040
- Madison, WI $43,040
- Vallejo, CA $43,040
- Kingston, NY $42,960
- Bowling Green, KY $42,540
- Pittsburgh, PA $42,530
- Reading, PA $42,430
- Rochester, NY $42,260
- Virginia Beach, VA $42,210
- Colorado Springs, CO $42,110
- Cleveland, OH $42,090
- Des Moines, IA $42,080
- Greeley, CO $42,020
- Beaumont, TX $41,840
- Lafayette, IN $41,750
- Baton Rouge, LA $41,690
- Columbus, OH $41,390
- Houston, TX $41,280
- Raleigh, NC $41,130
- Augusta, GA $41,020
- Atlantic City, NJ $40,910
- North Port, FL $40,580
- York, PA $40,240
- Rapid City, SD $39,780
- Greenville, SC $39,730
- Roanoke, VA $39,710
- Lincoln, NE $39,540
- Deltona, FL $39,260
- Oklahoma City, OK $39,200
- Buffalo, NY $39,190
- St. Louis, MO $39,170
- Austin, TX $38,970
- Winston, NC $38,840
- Memphis, TN $38,510
- Birmingham, AL $38,390
- Palm Bay, FL $38,320