SOC 27-4021 · May 2025
Photographer Salary
Photographers in the US earn a median of $44,660 a year ($26.64 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Photographer pay climbed from $45,440 in 2019 to $55,410 in 2025, a +21.9% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$44,660
Half of all Photographers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+21.9% since 2019 · -0.4% YoY
Hourly
$26.64
Job growth 2025-35
-0.7%
US workers
51,760
BLS series
Annual median wage for Photographers in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Photographers is $30,820 – $91,810.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$30,820
25th
$36,050
Median
$44,660
75th
$62,740
90th
$91,810
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Photographers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $30,820 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $36,050 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $44,660 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $62,740 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $91,810 |
Geography
Photographer pay by state
Photographers earn the most in D.C. ($110,970, +148% against the national median) and the least in Arkansas ($32,810). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 49 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$44,660
Highest-paying states for photographers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $110,970 | +148% | 260 |
| New York | $60,050 | +34% | 3,650 |
| Massachusetts | $57,990 | +30% | 830 |
| Oregon | $53,630 | +20% | 510 |
| Utah | $52,140 | +17% | 660 |
| Delaware | $50,100 | +12% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $49,790 | +11% | 630 |
| New Mexico | $48,090 | +8% | 230 |
| Washington | $48,050 | +8% | 960 |
| California | $47,840 | +7% | 7,980 |
All 49 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $110,970 | 260 |
| New York | $60,050 | 3,650 |
| Massachusetts | $57,990 | 830 |
| Oregon | $53,630 | 510 |
| Utah | $52,140 | 660 |
| Delaware | $50,100 | 180 |
| Connecticut | $49,790 | 630 |
| New Mexico | $48,090 | 230 |
| Washington | $48,050 | 960 |
| California | $47,840 | 7,980 |
| Kentucky | $47,170 | 380 |
| Colorado | $47,070 | 1,140 |
| Maine | $46,680 | 180 |
| Virginia | $46,550 | 1,580 |
| Minnesota | $46,470 | 730 |
| Maryland | $46,450 | 790 |
| Hawaii | $45,960 | 440 |
| Mississippi | $45,860 | 190 |
| South Dakota | $45,330 | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $44,780 | 220 |
| Georgia | $43,770 | 1,420 |
| Florida | $42,640 | 4,390 |
| Wisconsin | $42,060 | 850 |
| Nebraska | $41,920 | 220 |
| Texas | $41,280 | 4,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,520 | 1,870 |
| New Jersey | $40,520 | 1,460 |
| Montana | $39,900 | 190 |
| Wyoming | $39,330 | 50 |
| Alaska | $39,190 | 50 |
| Missouri | $39,170 | 950 |
| Ohio | $38,470 | 1,540 |
| Iowa | $38,290 | 430 |
| Tennessee | $37,950 | 780 |
| South Carolina | $37,890 | 630 |
| Kansas | $37,790 | 300 |
| Nevada | $37,460 | 890 |
| North Dakota | $37,410 | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $37,300 | 220 |
| North Carolina | $37,120 | 2,130 |
| Arizona | $36,970 | 1,360 |
| Louisiana | $36,830 | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $36,750 | 330 |
| Illinois | $36,570 | 2,150 |
| Alabama | $36,130 | 530 |
| West Virginia | $36,110 | 110 |
| Indiana | $35,960 | 810 |
| Idaho | $33,320 | 190 |
| Arkansas | $32,810 | 240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Photographers
Photographers (BLS SOC 27-4021) use technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images. The role spans portrait, commercial, photojournalism, and scientific photography. OEWS figures reflect employer wages and miss the substantial freelance market where established commercial and wedding photographers operate as independent businesses.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $30,820 – $91,810. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., New York and Massachusetts. Pay in D.C. runs 3.4 times the level in Arkansas, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 10,700 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to shrink 0.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Photographer salary in the US?
How much does a Photographer make an hour?
How much do Photographers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Photographers the most?
Is the average Photographer salary higher than the median?
Is Photographer a growing career?
Open positions
Open Photographer roles hiring now
Browse current Photographer listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 27-4021. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.