Photographers salary
Arts & media · OCC code 27-4021 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Photographers in the US earn a median of $42,520 per year (mean $55,650) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -14.1% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, below the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $34,790 and $62,370; the top 10% earn $94,760 or more. The median hourly wage is $20.44. About 51,230 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($110,530). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Photographers pay range (national percentiles)
What photographers earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $29,610 |
| 25th percentile | $34,790 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $42,520 |
| Mean (average) | $55,650 |
| 75th percentile | $62,370 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $94,760 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Photographers salary by state
Median and mean wage for photographers in each of the 49 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $42,520.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,530 | $99,690 | 270 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $60,610 | $68,190 | 1,170 |
| 3 | New York | $57,700 | $69,860 | 3,620 |
| 4 | Oregon | $55,640 | $69,100 | 570 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $54,650 | $58,910 | 530 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $50,760 | $60,280 | 1,280 |
| 7 | California | $50,610 | $76,230 | 7,300 |
| 8 | Delaware | $50,040 | $50,540 | 250 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $49,770 | $51,770 | 160 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $49,740 | $54,800 | 410 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $48,260 | $55,270 | 490 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $48,180 | $52,480 | 180 |
| 13 | Utah | $47,610 | $51,740 | 650 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $45,440 | $55,760 | 450 |
| 15 | Maryland | $44,890 | $55,250 | 870 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $44,660 | $44,690 | 190 |
| 17 | Maine | $44,610 | $50,820 | 170 |
| 18 | Washington | $44,580 | $52,210 | 1,260 |
| 19 | Colorado | $43,560 | $51,780 | 1,000 |
| 20 | Virginia | $43,180 | $53,030 | 1,360 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $42,000 | $42,160 | 300 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $41,600 | $59,560 | 210 |
| 23 | Georgia | $40,050 | $51,100 | 1,950 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $39,700 | $45,220 | 60 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $39,640 | $49,800 | 2,000 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $39,440 | $49,940 | 1,040 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $39,020 | $46,580 | 290 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $38,400 | $51,200 | 1,620 |
| 29 | Florida | $38,230 | $55,520 | 4,450 |
| 30 | Arizona | $38,210 | $49,190 | 1,090 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $37,920 | $40,570 | 360 |
| 32 | Missouri | $37,280 | $48,380 | 810 |
| 33 | Indiana | $37,270 | $41,450 | 870 |
| 34 | Idaho | $36,900 | $45,470 | 170 |
| 35 | Texas | $36,760 | $40,210 | 3,780 |
| 36 | Iowa | $36,380 | $40,120 | 370 |
| 37 | Alaska | $36,190 | $42,250 | 50 |
| 38 | Montana | $36,180 | $51,400 | 180 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $36,000 | $42,040 | 1,090 |
| 40 | Kansas | $35,930 | $39,030 | 270 |
| 41 | Nevada | $35,560 | $42,450 | 790 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $35,470 | $36,040 | 120 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $35,150 | $39,420 | 100 |
| 44 | Alabama | $35,140 | $43,360 | 490 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $35,090 | $41,470 | 80 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $34,870 | $39,700 | 590 |
| 47 | Illinois | $34,600 | $41,260 | 2,530 |
| 48 | Ohio | $33,990 | $39,900 | 1,970 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $33,850 | $36,690 | 240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: District of Columbia ($110,530). Lowest: Arkansas ($33,850).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographers (this job) | $42,520 | $55,650 | -14.1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,830 | $45,380 | -13.5% |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,460 | $44,800 | -12.2% |
| Office Clerks, General | $43,630 | $45,470 | -11.9% |
| Light Truck Drivers | $44,140 | $47,950 | -10.8% |
| Medical Assistants | $44,200 | $44,720 | -10.7% |
Customer Service Representatives · Pharmacy Technicians · Office Clerks, General · Light Truck Drivers · Medical Assistants
Frequently asked questions
How much do photographers make?
Photographers earn a national median of $42,520 per year (mean $55,650) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $34,790 (25th percentile) and $62,370 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $94,760 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $29,610. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for photographers?
The median hourly wage is $20.44 and the mean is $26.76 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays photographers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for photographers at $110,530, versus a national median of $42,520. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many photographers are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 51,230 photographers are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #110 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 27-4021), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20