Photographers salary in San Francisco, CA
The median photographers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA earns $58,840 a year, 32% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $3,778 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $41,250
- 25th percentile
- $46,800
- Median percentile
- $58,840
- 75th percentile
- $81,270
- 90th percentile
- $119,280
Based on 880 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
$45,339 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $58,840 |
| Federal income tax | −$4,881 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$4,501 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$4,119 |
| Monthly take-home | $3,778 |
| Every two weeks | $1,744 |
Does it go far here?
$50,894Median pay in San Francisco, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 115.6 vs 100).
65%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,474 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in San Francisco, CA
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $374,680 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $357,220 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $304,560 |
| Physicians, All Other | $294,360 |
| Chief Executives | $288,690 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $232,890 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $225,230 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $221,580 |