Photographers salary in California
The median photographers in California earns $47,840 a year, 7% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $3,106 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $36,470
- 25th percentile
- $38,410
- Median percentile
- $47,840
- 75th percentile
- $72,100
- 90th percentile
- $125,490
Based on 7,980 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.
What you keep
$37,271 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $47,840 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,561 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$3,660 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$3,349 |
| Monthly take-home | $3,106 |
| Every two weeks | $1,433 |
Does it go far here?
$43,208Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
66%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in California
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $353,900 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 |
| Physicians, All Other | $281,590 |