Median Salary
$44,660
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$21.47
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$91,810
entry level starts ~$30,820
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 52,000 employed
How much does a Photographer make?
A Photographer earns a median annual salary of $44,660 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.47 per hour for full-time work. Most Photographers earn between $30,820 at the entry level and $91,810 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $36,050 and $62,740 a year.
That is $16,730 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Photographer salary range by percentile
Half of all Photographers earn between $36,050 and $62,740 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,820 | $14.82 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $36,050 | $17.33 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $44,660 | $21.47 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $62,740 | $30.16 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,810 | $44.14 |
|
Highest-paying states for Photographer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Photographer pay at $110,970 a year, followed by New York ($60,050) and Massachusetts ($57,990). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $32,810 — a gap of $78,160 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Photographer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
District of Columbia $110,970New York $60,050Massachusetts $57,990Oregon $53,630Utah $52,140Delaware $50,100Connecticut $49,790New Mexico $48,090Washington $48,050California $47,840Kentucky $47,170Colorado $47,070Maine $46,680Virginia $46,550Minnesota $46,470Maryland $46,450Hawaii $45,960Mississippi $45,860South Dakota $45,330New Hampshire $44,780Georgia $43,770Florida $42,640Wisconsin $42,060Nebraska $41,920Texas $41,280New Jersey $40,520Pennsylvania $40,520Montana $39,900Wyoming $39,330Alaska $39,190Missouri $39,170Ohio $38,470Iowa $38,290Tennessee $37,950South Carolina $37,890Kansas $37,790Nevada $37,460North Dakota $37,410Rhode Island $37,300North Carolina $37,120Arizona $36,970Louisiana $36,830Oklahoma $36,750Illinois $36,570Alabama $36,130West Virginia $36,110Indiana $35,960Idaho $33,320Arkansas $32,810
Workforce and education
About 52,000 people work as Photographers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $55,410 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Photographer make in the United States?
The median Photographer salary in the United States is $44,660 per year, or about $21.47 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $30,820, while the top 10% of earners make $91,810 or more.
How does Photographer pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Photographer median of $44,660 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Photographers the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Photographers, with a median salary of $110,970 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Photographer?
Becoming a Photographer typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Photographers work in the United States?
About 52,000 people were employed as Photographers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other arts & media roles with similar pay.
$37,360
median pay · 41,000 employed
$62,200
median pay · 39,000 employed
$55,310
median pay · 3,000 employed
$46,080
median pay · 5,000 employed
$40,710
median pay · 16,000 employed
$47,340
median pay · 21,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.