Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$30,820
- 25th Percentile — Junior$36,050
- 50th Percentile — Median$44,660
- 75th Percentile — Senior$62,740
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$91,810
The top 10% of Photographers earn $91,810 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $30,820, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $104,630 | +88.8% |
| New York | $71,710 | +29.4% |
| Massachusetts | $71,300 | +28.7% |
| California | $70,040 | +26.4% |
| Oregon | $69,290 | +25.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $59,843 | +8.0% |
| New Mexico | $58,220 | +5.1% |
| Colorado | $58,170 | +5.0% |
| Maryland | $57,560 | +3.9% |
| Georgia | $57,260 | +3.3% |
| Connecticut | $57,250 | +3.3% |
| Hawaii | $57,030 | +2.9% |
| Washington | $56,270 | +1.6% |
| Minnesota | $56,220 | +1.5% |
| New Jersey | $53,410 | -3.6% |
| Virginia | $52,640 | -5.0% |
| Maine | $52,320 | -5.6% |
| Florida | $52,130 | -5.9% |
| Utah | $51,290 | -7.4% |
| Delaware | $51,040 | -7.9% |
| Illinois | $50,600 | -8.7% |
| Alaska | $50,090 | -9.6% |
| Kentucky | $49,990 | -9.8% |
| Michigan (est.) | $49,869 | -10.0% |
| New Hampshire | $49,740 | -10.2% |
| Wisconsin | $49,640 | -10.4% |
| Rhode Island | $49,440 | -10.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $49,190 | -11.2% |
| Montana | $49,120 | -11.4% |
| North Carolina | $47,540 | -14.2% |
| Missouri | $47,380 | -14.5% |
| Arizona | $47,330 | -14.6% |
| Nebraska | $47,070 | -15.1% |
| Ohio | $46,780 | -15.6% |
| Mississippi | $45,970 | -17.0% |
| North Dakota | $45,730 | -17.5% |
| Wyoming | $44,960 | -18.9% |
| South Carolina | $44,380 | -19.9% |
| Kansas | $44,120 | -20.4% |
| Tennessee | $44,060 | -20.5% |
| South Dakota | $43,740 | -21.1% |
| Texas | $43,720 | -21.1% |
| Louisiana | $43,530 | -21.4% |
| Alabama | $43,480 | -21.5% |
| Iowa | $42,860 | -22.6% |
| Nevada | $41,360 | -25.4% |
| West Virginia | $41,220 | -25.6% |
| Indiana | $40,650 | -26.6% |
| Oklahoma | $40,300 | -27.3% |
| Idaho | $37,950 | -31.5% |
| Arkansas | $34,700 | -37.4% |
What Factors Affect Photographers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Photographers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $104,630, while Arkansas pays $34,700 — a gap of $69,930 per year.
The middle half of Photographers earn between $36,050 and $62,740 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $30,820, while the top 10% earn more than $91,810.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Photographers?
The average salary for Photographers in the United States is $55,410 per year, with a median of $44,660.
What is the starting salary for Photographers?
Entry-level Photographers typically earn between $30,820 and $36,050 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Photographers the most?
District of Columbia pays Photographers the most at $104,630 per year on average, followed by New York ($71,710) and Massachusetts ($71,300).
How much do Photographers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $55,410, Photographers earn approximately $26.64 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Photographers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 51,760 Photographers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $55,410 and a median of $44,660 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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