The average salary for a photographer in District of Columbia is around $110,970 per year.
Avg Salary
Photographers earn an average yearly salary of $110,970.
Wages typically start from $46,080 and go up to $148,360.
16% above national average Updated in 2025
Photographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level photographer earnings begin at:
$71.33 per hour
$148,360 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$60.20 per hour
$125,220 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level photographer earnings begin at:
$53.35 per hour
$110,970 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$39.99 per hour
$83,170 per year
10th percentile
Starting level photographer earnings begin at:
$22.15 per hour
$46,080 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Photographer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $60,050 |
| Massachusetts | $57,990 |
| Oregon | $53,630 |
| Utah | $52,140 |
| Delaware | $50,100 |
| Connecticut | $49,790 |
| Vermont | $49,060 |
| New Mexico | $48,090 |
| Washington | $48,050 |
| California | $47,840 |
| Kentucky | $47,170 |
| Colorado | $47,070 |
| Maine | $46,680 |
| Virginia | $46,550 |
| Minnesota | $46,470 |
| Maryland | $46,450 |
| Hawaii | $45,960 |
| Mississippi | $45,860 |
| South Dakota | $45,330 |
| New Hampshire | $44,780 |
| Georgia | $43,770 |
| Florida | $42,640 |
| Wisconsin | $42,060 |
| Nebraska | $41,920 |
| Texas | $41,280 |
| New Jersey | $40,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,520 |
| Montana | $39,900 |
| Wyoming | $39,330 |
| Alaska | $39,190 |
| Missouri | $39,170 |
| Ohio | $38,470 |
| Iowa | $38,290 |
| Tennessee | $37,950 |
| Michigan | $37,930 |
| South Carolina | $37,890 |
| Kansas | $37,790 |
| Nevada | $37,460 |
| North Dakota | $37,410 |
| Rhode Island | $37,300 |
| North Carolina | $37,120 |
| Arizona | $36,970 |
| Louisiana | $36,830 |
| Oklahoma | $36,750 |
| Illinois | $36,570 |
| Alabama | $36,130 |
| West Virginia | $36,110 |
| Indiana | $35,960 |
| Idaho | $33,320 |
| Arkansas | $32,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,070 |
| District of Columbia | $110,970 |
How do photographer salaries compare to similar careers?
Photographers earn about the same as related careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than filmmakers but more than makeup artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Filmmaker salary | $104K |
| Film director salary | $104K |
| Photographer salary | $111K |
| Camera operator salary | $98K |
| Film and video editor salary | $99K |
| Graphic designer salary | $88K |
| Makeup artist salary | $96K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)