The average wage for a photographer in the United States is around $5.71 per hour.
Avg Wage
Photographers earn an average hourly wage of $5.71.
Salaries typically start from $3.99 per hour and go up to $8.16 per hour.
81% below national average Updated in 2023
Photographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level photographer earnings begin at:
$8.16 per hour
$16,978 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$6.89 per hour
$14,333 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level photographer earnings begin at:
$5.71 per hour
$11,875 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$4.73 per hour
$9,839 per year
10th percentile
Starting level photographer earnings begin at:
$3.99 per hour
$8,306 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Photographer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $80,110 |
| Connecticut | $61,420 |
| Georgia | $57,090 |
| Washington | $50,000 |
| New Hampshire | $49,480 |
| Vermont | $49,060 |
| North Dakota | $48,880 |
| New York | $48,820 |
| Oregon | $48,560 |
| Minnesota | $48,270 |
| Massachusetts | $48,230 |
| Delaware | $48,210 |
| California | $46,630 |
| Illinois | $45,140 |
| Utah | $44,860 |
| Maryland | $44,300 |
| New Jersey | $42,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,520 |
| Mississippi | $39,520 |
| Hawaii | $38,980 |
| Wyoming | $38,950 |
| Virginia | $38,850 |
| Alaska | $38,760 |
| Colorado | $38,640 |
| South Carolina | $38,640 |
| Rhode Island | $38,310 |
| Maine | $38,220 |
| Michigan | $37,930 |
| Alabama | $37,630 |
| Florida | $37,540 |
| South Dakota | $37,390 |
| Louisiana | $37,350 |
| Idaho | $37,190 |
| Indiana | $36,860 |
| Montana | $36,750 |
| North Carolina | $36,750 |
| Ohio | $36,280 |
| Iowa | $35,910 |
| Wisconsin | $35,740 |
| Texas | $34,380 |
| Kentucky | $34,260 |
| Kansas | $33,610 |
| Missouri | $32,810 |
| Nebraska | $31,210 |
| Oklahoma | $31,120 |
| Arizona | $30,690 |
| Nevada | $30,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,070 |
| New Mexico | $29,930 |
| Tennessee | $29,930 |
| Arkansas | $29,900 |
| West Virginia | $29,760 |
How do photographer salaries compare to similar careers?
Photographers earn 29% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than jewelers but more than craft artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Jeweler salary | $21K |
| Camera operator salary | $20K |
| Filmmaker salary | $18K |
| Model maker salary | $19K |
| Illustrator salary | $15K |
| Photographer salary | $12K |
| Craft artist salary | $5K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)