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The average photographer salary in the United States is $33,968. Photographer salaries typically range between $22,000 and $52,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for photographers is $16.33 per hour.
Photographer salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Photographers earn the highest average salary in New York.
Rank![]() ![]() | State![]() ![]() | Avg. Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
1 | New York | $56,937 | $27.37 |
2 | Connecticut | $40,485 | $19.46 |
3 | Utah | $37,038 | $17.81 |
4 | West Virginia | $37,194 | $17.88 |
5 | Alaska | $38,626 | $18.57 |
6 | California | $37,556 | $18.06 |
7 | Vermont | $39,517 | $19.00 |
8 | Minnesota | $41,165 | $19.79 |
9 | Massachusetts | $40,028 | $19.24 |
10 | North Dakota | $36,732 | $17.66 |
11 | Illinois | $36,527 | $17.56 |
12 | Wisconsin | $34,197 | $16.44 |
13 | Wyoming | $36,454 | $17.53 |
14 | New Hampshire | $37,373 | $17.97 |
15 | Washington | $35,531 | $17.08 |
16 | Arkansas | $30,689 | $14.75 |
17 | Colorado | $33,620 | $16.16 |
18 | Maine | $35,707 | $17.17 |
19 | Virginia | $32,992 | $15.86 |
20 | Idaho | $33,964 | $16.33 |
21 | Nebraska | $31,347 | $15.07 |
22 | Pennsylvania | $31,215 | $15.01 |
23 | Maryland | $34,183 | $16.43 |
24 | Michigan | $29,665 | $14.26 |
25 | Oregon | $31,503 | $15.15 |
26 | Tennessee | $29,272 | $14.07 |
27 | New Jersey | $35,083 | $16.87 |
28 | Kentucky | $33,152 | $15.94 |
29 | South Dakota | $32,091 | $15.43 |
30 | Montana | $32,409 | $15.58 |
31 | Texas | $29,945 | $14.40 |
32 | Alabama | $28,890 | $13.89 |
33 | Ohio | $29,277 | $14.08 |
34 | Kansas | $31,320 | $15.06 |
35 | New Mexico | $31,570 | $15.18 |
36 | Mississippi | $27,759 | $13.35 |
37 | Georgia | $28,568 | $13.73 |
38 | District of Columbia | $24,311 | $11.69 |
39 | Oklahoma | $24,410 | $11.74 |
40 | South Carolina | $26,034 | $12.52 |
41 | Louisiana | $24,762 | $11.90 |
42 | Florida | $22,984 | $11.05 |
43 | Indiana | $28,666 | $13.78 |
44 | Arizona | $26,348 | $12.67 |
45 | Hawaii | $26,692 | $12.83 |
46 | North Carolina | $25,710 | $12.36 |
47 | Missouri | $22,485 | $10.81 |
48 | Iowa | $23,207 | $11.16 |
49 | Rhode Island | $24,964 | $12.00 |
50 | Delaware | $25,359 | $12.19 |
51 | Nevada | $20,532 | $9.87 |
The highest-paying cities for photographers are New York, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and Sacramento, CA.
Rank![]() ![]() | City![]() ![]() | Avg. Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
1 | New York, NY | $57,095 | $27.45 |
2 | Minneapolis, MN | $41,120 | $19.77 |
3 | Sacramento, CA | $40,255 | $19.35 |
4 | Boston, MA | $39,883 | $19.17 |
5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,127 | $17.85 |
6 | Chicago, IL | $36,900 | $17.74 |
7 | Springfield, VA | $35,747 | $17.19 |
8 | Seattle, WA | $35,717 | $17.17 |
9 | Baltimore, MD | $34,461 | $16.57 |
10 | Milwaukee, WI | $34,270 | $16.48 |
11 | Denver, CO | $33,705 | $16.20 |
12 | Kansas City, KS | $31,643 | $15.21 |
13 | Philadelphia, PA | $31,393 | $15.09 |
14 | Cleveland, OH | $31,388 | $15.09 |
15 | Dallas, TX | $30,157 | $14.50 |
16 | Detroit, MI | $29,837 | $14.34 |
17 | Birmingham, AL | $29,059 | $13.97 |
18 | Chattanooga, TN | $28,956 | $13.92 |
19 | Atlanta, GA | $28,751 | $13.82 |
20 | Indianapolis, IN | $28,248 | $13.58 |
Photographers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A photographer's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.
Percentile![]() ![]() | Annual Salary![]() ![]() | Monthly Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
75th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
Average | $33,968 | $2,831 | $16 |
25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
The highest paying types of photographers are executive producer, producer, and photography internship.
Job Title![]() ![]() | Annual Salary![]() ![]() | Monthly Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() | Job Openings![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
Audio Visual Technician | $43,529 | $3,627 | $20.93 | 15,387 |
Camera Operator | $43,609 | $3,634 | $20.97 | 26,006 |
Freelance Video Editor | $54,795 | $4,566 | $26.34 | 5,910 |
Freelance Producer | $62,218 | $5,185 | $29.91 | 9,703 |
Video Production Internship | $33,585 | $2,799 | $16.15 | 105,041 |
Video Producer | $58,612 | $4,884 | $28.18 | 10,484 |
Top companies hiring photographers now:
Photographer salaries at Jacobs Engineering Group and Vanderbilt University Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average photographer salary at companies like Mayo Clinic and Sinclair Broadcast Group are highly competitive.
Rank![]() ![]() | Company![]() ![]() | Average Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $76,239 | $36.65 |
2 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | $60,495 | $29.08 |
3 | Mayo Clinic | $55,935 | $26.89 |
4 | Sinclair Broadcast Group | $51,054 | $24.55 |
5 | Uline | $50,495 | $24.28 |
6 | New York State Restaurant Association | $47,771 | $22.97 |
7 | NBCUniversal | $47,637 | $22.90 |
8 | Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc. | $46,787 | $22.49 |
9 | Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Corporation | $45,774 | $22.01 |
10 | Lifeway Kefir | $43,937 | $21.12 |
11 | State of Connecticut | $43,928 | $21.12 |
12 | Fashion Nova | $43,032 | $20.69 |
13 | Quad | $42,496 | $20.43 |
14 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $40,850 | $19.64 |
15 | TEGNA | $40,654 | $19.55 |
16 | University of Houston | $40,077 | $19.27 |
17 | Messiah College | $40,032 | $19.25 |
18 | Fox News | $39,981 | $19.22 |
19 | The Walt Disney Company | $39,926 | $19.20 |
20 | Savannah College of Art and Design | $38,609 | $18.56 |
The average photographer salary varies across industries:
Rank![]() ![]() | Industry![]() ![]() | Average Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Professional | $35,564 | $17.10 |
2 | Manufacturing | $34,426 | $16.55 |
3 | Media | $34,195 | $16.44 |
4 | Retail | $32,723 | $15.73 |
The average photographer salary has risen by $10,220 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average photographer earned $23,748 annually, but today, they earn $33,968 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for photographers over the last decade.
Compare photographer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare photographer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Year![]() ![]() | Avg. Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() | % Change![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
2025 | $34,000 | $16.33 | +12.1% |
2024 | $29,900 | $14.35 | +6.3% |
2023 | $28,000 | $13.45 | +4.4% |
2022 | $26,700 | $12.85 | -4.9% |
2021 | $28,000 | $13.48 | +6.9% |
Company![]() ![]() | Job![]() ![]() | Location![]() ![]() | Date Added![]() ![]() | Salary![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
Illinois State University | Student Photographer | Normal, IL | 12/18/2024 | $31,305 |
Luttrell Staffing Group | Short-Term Marketing Photographer | Grover Beach, CA | 12/17/2024 | $43,827 |
Nbcuniversal | Photographer (Nabet Engineer), NBC & Telemundo Washington DC | Ione, WA | 12/16/2024 | $58,019 |
Stefanini Group | Photographer | Newark, NJ | 12/16/2024 | $48,001 |
Manhattan Motorcars | Inventory Photographer | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $41,740 |
Mom365, Inc. | Photographer | Richmond, VA | 12/16/2024 | $43,827 |
Agupdate | Optical Sales | Mill Creek, WA | 12/16/2024 | $45,914 |
Oklahoma AG | Legislative Photographer | Oklahoma City, OK | 12/16/2024 | $42,000 |
Xciteauto | Frontline Photographer | Waltham, MA | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
Cardata Inc. | Automotive Dealership Photographer- | Fort Myers, FL | 12/16/2024 | $30,000 |
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