The average wage for a photographer in California is around $22.42 per hour.
Avg Wage
Photographers earn an average hourly wage of $22.42.
Salaries typically start from $14.54 per hour and go up to $44.09 per hour.
31% below national average Updated in 2021
Photographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level photographer earnings begin at:
$44.09 per hour
$91,710 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$31.03 per hour
$64,540 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level photographer earnings begin at:
$22.42 per hour
$46,630 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$17.67 per hour
$36,750 per year
10th percentile
Starting level photographer earnings begin at:
$14.54 per hour
$30,240 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 about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than craft artists but more than glass blowers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Craft artist salary | $55K |
| Camera operator salary | $54K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $57K |
| Museum conservator salary | $59K |
| Painter salary | $48K |
| Photographer salary | $47K |
| Jeweler salary | $49K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $49K |
| Projectionist salary | $56K |
| Glass blower salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)