Photographers Salary
BLS May 2025 median wages — with computed take-home after taxes for all 49 reporting states. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data, the median photographers in the US earns $44,660 per year (51,760 employed). Gross pay is highest in Washington DC ($110,970) and lowest in Arkansas ($32,810) — but what you keep depends on the state's taxes; see the table.
Photographers pay by stategross median vs take-home
| State | Median wage | After taxes | Monthly net | Kept | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photographers in Washington DC | $110,970 | $80,434 | $6,703 | 72.5% | 260 |
| Photographers in New York | $60,050 | $47,785 | $3,982 | 79.6% | 3,650 |
| Photographers in Massachusetts | $57,990 | $46,095 | $3,841 | 79.5% | 830 |
| Photographers in Oregon | $53,630 | $41,409 | $3,451 | 77.2% | 510 |
| Photographers in Utah | $52,140 | $41,728 | $3,477 | 80% | 660 |
| Photographers in Delaware | $50,100 | $40,332 | $3,361 | 80.5% | 180 |
| Photographers in Connecticut | $49,790 | $40,871 | $3,406 | 82.1% | 630 |
| Photographers in New Mexico | $48,090 | $39,720 | $3,310 | 82.6% | 230 |
| Photographers in Washington | $48,050 | $40,788 | $3,399 | 84.9% | 960 |
| Photographers in California | $47,840 | $39,700 | $3,308 | 83% | 7,980 |
| Photographers in Kentucky | $47,170 | $38,548 | $3,212 | 81.7% | 380 |
| Photographers in Colorado | $47,070 | $38,638 | $3,220 | 82.1% | 1,140 |
| Photographers in Maine | $46,680 | $37,718 | $3,143 | 80.8% | 180 |
| Photographers in Virginia | $46,550 | $37,720 | $3,143 | 81% | 1,580 |
| Photographers in Minnesota | $46,470 | $37,851 | $3,154 | 81.5% | 730 |
| Photographers in Maryland | $46,450 | $37,660 | $3,138 | 81.1% | 790 |
| Photographers in Hawaii | $45,960 | $37,116 | $3,093 | 80.8% | 440 |
| Photographers in Mississippi | $45,860 | $37,926 | $3,161 | 82.7% | 190 |
| Photographers in South Dakota | $45,330 | $38,603 | $3,217 | 85.2% | 190 |
| Photographers in New Hampshire | $44,780 | $38,161 | $3,180 | 85.2% | 220 |
| Photographers in Georgia | $43,770 | $35,700 | $2,975 | 81.6% | 1,420 |
| Photographers in Florida | $42,640 | $36,441 | $3,037 | 85.5% | 4,390 |
| Photographers in Wisconsin | $42,060 | $34,906 | $2,909 | 83% | 850 |
| Photographers in Nebraska | $41,920 | $34,835 | $2,903 | 83.1% | 220 |
| Photographers in Texas | $41,280 | $35,349 | $2,946 | 85.6% | 4,330 |
| Photographers in New Jersey | $40,520 | $34,037 | $2,836 | 84% | 1,460 |
| Photographers in Pennsylvania | $40,520 | $33,494 | $2,791 | 82.7% | 1,870 |
| Photographers in Montana | $39,900 | $33,121 | $2,760 | 83% | 190 |
| Photographers in Wyoming | $39,330 | $33,782 | $2,815 | 85.9% | 50 |
| Photographers in Alaska | $39,190 | $33,669 | $2,806 | 85.9% | 50 |
| Photographers in Missouri | $39,170 | $32,749 | $2,729 | 83.6% | 950 |
| Photographers in Ohio | $38,470 | $32,815 | $2,735 | 85.3% | 1,540 |
| Photographers in Iowa | $38,290 | $32,143 | $2,679 | 83.9% | 430 |
| Photographers in Tennessee | $37,950 | $32,673 | $2,723 | 86.1% | 780 |
| Photographers in South Carolina | $37,890 | $31,508 | $2,626 | 83.2% | 630 |
| Photographers in Kansas | $37,790 | $31,235 | $2,603 | 82.7% | 300 |
| Photographers in Nevada | $37,460 | $32,279 | $2,690 | 86.2% | 890 |
| Photographers in North Dakota | $37,410 | $32,239 | $2,687 | 86.2% | 70 |
| Photographers in Rhode Island | $37,300 | $31,369 | $2,614 | 84.1% | 220 |
| Photographers in North Carolina | $37,120 | $31,034 | $2,586 | 83.6% | 2,130 |
| Photographers in Arizona | $36,970 | $31,170 | $2,597 | 84.3% | 1,360 |
| Photographers in Louisiana | $36,830 | $31,054 | $2,588 | 84.3% | 510 |
| Photographers in Oklahoma | $36,750 | $30,600 | $2,550 | 83.3% | 330 |
| Photographers in Illinois | $36,570 | $29,899 | $2,492 | 81.8% | 2,150 |
| Photographers in Alabama | $36,130 | $29,669 | $2,472 | 82.1% | 530 |
| Photographers in West Virginia | $36,110 | $30,225 | $2,519 | 83.7% | 110 |
| Photographers in Indiana | $35,960 | $30,043 | $2,504 | 83.5% | 810 |
| Photographers in Idaho | $33,320 | $28,295 | $2,358 | 84.9% | 190 |
| Photographers in Arkansas | $32,810 | $27,476 | $2,290 | 83.7% | 240 |
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