27 Series · SOC 27-4021
Photographers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $44,660
- Median / year
- $91,810
- Top 10% earn
- +1.8%
- Growth '23–'33
- 51,760
- US workers
Photographers earn a median of $44,660 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $44,660, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $30,820 (10th percentile) to $91,810 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 51,760 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($110,970), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Photographers earn a median of $44,660, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 19% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #33 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.8% by 2033.
- $44,660
- Median annual wage
- Top 81%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #33 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 3.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $110,970. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Photographers (SOC 27-4021) pays a national median of $44,660 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $30,820 at the 10th percentile to $91,810 at the 90th, with a mean of $55,410 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 51,760 Americans work in this occupation across 50 reporting states and 200 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 12,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $110,970, which is +148% above the national figure. The top metro is Bend, OR at $65,990 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$44,660
per year
Median Hourly
$21.47/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$55,410
average
Employment
51,760
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Photographers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$44,660 Bottom 19% higher than 19% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Photographers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Photographers sits on the slower-growing side at +1.8% growth and $44,660 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.8%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
12,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Photographers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.
- ▸ Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- ▸ Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- ▸ Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
- ▸ Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- ▸ Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- ▸ Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- ▸ Enhance, retouch, and resize photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.
- ▸ Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
- ▸ Estimate or measure light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$30,820
25th Percentile
$36,050
Median
$44,660
75th Percentile
$62,740
90th Percentile
$91,810
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 50 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,970 | +148% above national |
| 2 | New York | $60,050 | +34% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $57,990 | +30% above national |
| 4 | Oregon | $53,630 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Utah | $52,140 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Delaware | $50,100 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Connecticut | $49,790 | +11% above national |
| 8 | New Mexico | $48,090 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Washington | $48,050 | +8% above national |
| 10 | California | $47,840 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Kentucky | $47,170 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Colorado | $47,070 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Maine | $46,680 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Virginia | $46,550 | +4% above national |
| 15 | Minnesota | $46,470 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Maryland | $46,450 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Hawaii | $45,960 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Mississippi | $45,860 | +3% above national |
| 19 | South Dakota | $45,330 | +2% above national |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $44,780 | same as national |
| 21 | Georgia | $43,770 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Florida | $42,640 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $42,060 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Nebraska | $41,920 | 6% below national |
| 25 | Texas | $41,280 | 8% below national |
| 26 | New Jersey | $40,520 | 9% below national |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $40,520 | 9% below national |
| 28 | Montana | $39,900 | 11% below national |
| 29 | Wyoming | $39,330 | 12% below national |
| 30 | Alaska | $39,190 | 12% below national |
| 31 | Missouri | $39,170 | 12% below national |
| 32 | Ohio | $38,470 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Iowa | $38,290 | 14% below national |
| 34 | Tennessee | $37,950 | 15% below national |
| 35 | South Carolina | $37,890 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Kansas | $37,790 | 15% below national |
| 37 | Nevada | $37,460 | 16% below national |
| 38 | North Dakota | $37,410 | 16% below national |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $37,300 | 16% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $37,120 | 17% below national |
| 41 | Arizona | $36,970 | 17% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $36,830 | 18% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $36,750 | 18% below national |
| 44 | Illinois | $36,570 | 18% below national |
| 45 | Alabama | $36,130 | 19% below national |
| 46 | West Virginia | $36,110 | 19% below national |
| 47 | Indiana | $35,960 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Puerto Rico | $34,060 | 24% below national |
| 49 | Idaho | $33,320 | 25% below national |
| 50 | Arkansas | $32,810 | 27% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 200 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bend, OR | $65,990 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $62,550 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $60,940 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $60,930 | +36% above national |
| 5 | Springfield, MA | $60,430 | +35% above national |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,050 | +34% above national |
| 7 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,000 | +34% above national |
| 8 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $59,220 | +33% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $58,840 | +32% above national |
| 10 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $58,050 | +30% above national |
| 11 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $57,620 | +29% above national |
| 12 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $56,890 | +27% above national |
| 13 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $56,220 | +26% above national |
| 14 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $55,220 | +24% above national |
| 15 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $55,020 | +23% above national |
| 16 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $54,530 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $54,260 | +21% above national |
| 18 | Springfield, MO | $52,510 | +18% above national |
| 19 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $52,470 | +17% above national |
| 20 | Montgomery, AL | $52,160 | +17% above national |
| 21 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $51,870 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,790 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $51,410 | +15% above national |
| 24 | New Haven, CT | $51,000 | +14% above national |
| 25 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $50,940 | +14% above national |
| 26 | Santa Fe, NM | $50,670 | +13% above national |
| 27 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $50,620 | +13% above national |
| 28 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $50,500 | +13% above national |
| 29 | Worcester, MA | $50,170 | +12% above national |
| 30 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $50,060 | +12% above national |
| 31 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,000 | +12% above national |
| 32 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $49,980 | +12% above national |
| 33 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $49,760 | +11% above national |
| 34 | Syracuse, NY | $49,560 | +11% above national |
| 35 | Savannah, GA | $49,110 | +10% above national |
| 36 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $48,790 | +9% above national |
| 37 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,670 | +9% above national |
| 38 | Reno, NV | $48,670 | +9% above national |
| 39 | Albuquerque, NM | $48,090 | +8% above national |
| 40 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $47,920 | +7% above national |
| 41 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $47,870 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,840 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $47,720 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $47,720 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Jackson, MS | $47,500 | +6% above national |
| 46 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,340 | +6% above national |
| 47 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $47,300 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $47,170 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Anchorage, AK | $47,040 | +5% above national |
| 50 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,960 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $46,880 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $46,620 | +4% above national |
| 53 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $46,550 | +4% above national |
| 54 | Jacksonville, FL | $46,540 | +4% above national |
| 55 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $46,540 | +4% above national |
| 56 | Richmond, VA | $46,420 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $46,410 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $46,270 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $46,170 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,880 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $45,870 | +3% above national |
| 62 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $45,760 | +2% above national |
| 63 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $45,690 | +2% above national |
| 64 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $45,380 | +2% above national |
| 65 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $45,300 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Omaha, NE-IA | $45,160 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $45,040 | +1% above national |
| 68 | Corpus Christi, TX | $45,000 | +1% above national |
| 69 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $44,990 | +1% above national |
| 70 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $44,940 | +1% above national |
| 71 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $44,860 | same as national |
| 72 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $44,840 | same as national |
| 73 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $44,530 | same as national |
| 74 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $44,480 | same as national |
| 75 | Waco, TX | $44,300 | 1% below national |
| 76 | Charlottesville, VA | $44,290 | 1% below national |
| 77 | Modesto, CA | $44,240 | 1% below national |
| 78 | Lubbock, TX | $44,230 | 1% below national |
| 79 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $44,200 | 1% below national |
| 80 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,030 | 1% below national |
| 81 | Bozeman, MT | $44,020 | 1% below national |
| 82 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $43,970 | 2% below national |
| 83 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $43,940 | 2% below national |
| 84 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $43,890 | 2% below national |
| 85 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $43,870 | 2% below national |
| 86 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $43,750 | 2% below national |
| 87 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $43,750 | 2% below national |
| 88 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $43,710 | 2% below national |
| 89 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $43,550 | 2% below national |
| 90 | Tucson, AZ | $43,360 | 3% below national |
| 91 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $43,100 | 3% below national |
| 92 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $43,060 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $43,040 | 4% below national |
| 94 | Madison, WI | $43,040 | 4% below national |
| 95 | Vallejo, CA | $43,040 | 4% below national |
| 96 | Kingston, NY | $42,960 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Bowling Green, KY | $42,540 | 5% below national |
| 98 | Pittsburgh, PA | $42,530 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Reading, PA | $42,430 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Rochester, NY | $42,260 | 5% below national |
| 101 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $42,210 | 5% below national |
| 102 | Colorado Springs, CO | $42,110 | 6% below national |
| 103 | Cleveland, OH | $42,090 | 6% below national |
| 104 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $42,080 | 6% below national |
| 105 | Greeley, CO | $42,020 | 6% below national |
| 106 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $41,840 | 6% below national |
| 107 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $41,750 | 7% below national |
| 108 | Baton Rouge, LA | $41,690 | 7% below national |
| 109 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $41,470 | 7% below national |
| 110 | Columbus, OH | $41,390 | 7% below national |
| 111 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $41,280 | 8% below national |
| 112 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $41,130 | 8% below national |
| 113 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $41,020 | 8% below national |
| 114 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $40,910 | 8% below national |
| 115 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $40,580 | 9% below national |
| 116 | York-Hanover, PA | $40,240 | 10% below national |
| 117 | Rapid City, SD | $39,780 | 11% below national |
| 118 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $39,730 | 11% below national |
| 119 | Roanoke, VA | $39,710 | 11% below national |
| 120 | Lincoln, NE | $39,540 | 11% below national |
| 121 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $39,260 | 12% below national |
| 122 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,200 | 12% below national |
| 123 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $39,190 | 12% below national |
| 124 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $39,190 | 12% below national |
| 125 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,170 | 12% below national |
| 126 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $38,970 | 13% below national |
| 127 | Winston-Salem, NC | $38,840 | 13% below national |
| 128 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,580 | 14% below national |
| 129 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $38,510 | 14% below national |
| 130 | Birmingham, AL | $38,390 | 14% below national |
| 131 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $38,320 | 14% below national |
| 132 | Fargo, ND-MN | $38,210 | 14% below national |
| 133 | Green Bay, WI | $38,080 | 15% below national |
| 134 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $38,010 | 15% below national |
| 135 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $37,780 | 15% below national |
| 136 | Wilmington, NC | $37,690 | 16% below national |
| 137 | Lancaster, PA | $37,600 | 16% below national |
| 138 | Fresno, CA | $37,520 | 16% below national |
| 139 | Ann Arbor, MI | $37,510 | 16% below national |
| 140 | Mobile, AL | $37,490 | 16% below national |
| 141 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $37,450 | 16% below national |
| 142 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $37,360 | 16% below national |
| 143 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $37,200 | 17% below national |
| 144 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $37,190 | 17% below national |
| 145 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $37,170 | 17% below national |
| 146 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $37,040 | 17% below national |
| 147 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $36,970 | 17% below national |
| 148 | Spartanburg, SC | $36,950 | 17% below national |
| 149 | Fort Wayne, IN | $36,900 | 17% below national |
| 150 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $36,880 | 17% below national |
| 151 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $36,810 | 18% below national |
| 152 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $36,810 | 18% below national |
| 153 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $36,790 | 18% below national |
| 154 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $36,670 | 18% below national |
| 155 | El Paso, TX | $36,650 | 18% below national |
| 156 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $36,580 | 18% below national |
| 157 | Billings, MT | $36,360 | 19% below national |
| 158 | Rockford, IL | $36,360 | 19% below national |
| 159 | Wichita, KS | $36,300 | 19% below national |
| 160 | Knoxville, TN | $36,240 | 19% below national |
| 161 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $36,180 | 19% below national |
| 162 | Akron, OH | $36,100 | 19% below national |
| 163 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $36,090 | 19% below national |
| 164 | Columbia, SC | $36,060 | 19% below national |
| 165 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $35,920 | 20% below national |
| 166 | Toledo, OH | $35,810 | 20% below national |
| 167 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $35,770 | 20% below national |
| 168 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $35,630 | 20% below national |
| 169 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $35,610 | 20% below national |
| 170 | Gainesville, FL | $35,550 | 20% below national |
| 171 | Peoria, IL | $35,510 | 20% below national |
| 172 | Evansville, IN | $35,420 | 21% below national |
| 173 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $35,420 | 21% below national |
| 174 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $35,410 | 21% below national |
| 175 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $35,400 | 21% below national |
| 176 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $35,380 | 21% below national |
| 177 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $35,290 | 21% below national |
| 178 | Asheville, NC | $35,120 | 21% below national |
| 179 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $34,950 | 22% below national |
| 180 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $34,860 | 22% below national |
| 181 | Fayetteville, NC | $34,560 | 23% below national |
| 182 | Tyler, TX | $34,130 | 24% below national |
| 183 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $34,040 | 24% below national |
| 184 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $34,030 | 24% below national |
| 185 | Flagstaff, AZ | $34,010 | 24% below national |
| 186 | Tallahassee, FL | $34,010 | 24% below national |
| 187 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $34,010 | 24% below national |
| 188 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $33,940 | 24% below national |
| 189 | Ogden, UT | $33,860 | 24% below national |
| 190 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $33,600 | 25% below national |
| 191 | Boise City, ID | $33,320 | 25% below national |
| 192 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $32,950 | 26% below national |
| 193 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $32,780 | 27% below national |
| 194 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $31,550 | 29% below national |
| 195 | Huntsville, AL | $31,200 | 30% below national |
| 196 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $31,200 | 30% below national |
| 197 | Lafayette, LA | $30,450 | 32% below national |
| 198 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $30,290 | 32% below national |
| 199 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $28,110 | 37% below national |
| 200 | Chambersburg, PA | $26,640 | 40% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Photographers make? ▼
What state pays Photographers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Photographers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Photographers? ▼
Is Photographers a good career? ▼
How does Photographers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Photographers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Photographers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $62,740/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $110,970/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.