Home Salary Guide Photographer

Creative

Photographer Salary

Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that tell a story or record an event.

Median: $40,070 Growth: 4% BLS Data

Photographer Salary Range

Entry Level

$25,000

0-2 years

Mid Career

$40,000

5-10 years

Senior Level

$65,000

10+ years

Salary Percentiles

10th Percentile $23,490

25th Percentile $29,090

Median (50th) $40,070

75th Percentile $56,700

90th Percentile $79,960

Top Paying States for Photographers

1 Connecticut

$62,000

2 Massachusetts

$58,000

3 New York

$56,000

4 California

$52,000

5 New Jersey

$50,000

Job Outlook & Education

Growth Rate

+4%

Stable

Education

Bachelor's degree in Photography or related field; strong portfolio

How Much Do Photographers Make?

The median annual salary for a photographer in the United States is $40,070 as of 2026. This means half of photographers earn more than this amount, and half earn less.

Salary by Experience Level

Entry Level (0-2 years): $25,000
Mid Career (5-10 years): $40,000
Senior Level (10+ years): $65,000

Calculate Your Take-Home

See exactly how much you'll take home after taxes with our income calculator.

Calculate $40,070 Salary

Hourly Equivalent

Based on 2,080 work hours/year

$19/hr

See $19/hr Breakdown

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What Can a Photographer Afford?

Based on median salary of $40,070

Max Rent $999/mo

Max Car Payment $399/mo

Monthly Savings $535/mo

See Full Budget Breakdown

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