Photographer Salary

How much does a Photographer make?

As of Mar 25, 2023, the average annual pay for a Photographer in the United States is $46,621 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.41 an hour. This is the equivalent of $896/week or $3,885/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $103,500 and as low as $15,500, the majority of Photographer salaries currently range between $27,500 (25th percentile) to $50,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $78,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Photographer varies greatly (by as much as $22,500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Photographer job market in both Ashburn, VA and the surrounding area is very active. A Photographer in your area makes on average $47,258 per year, or $637 (1%) more than the national average annual salary of $46,621. Virginia ranks number 12 out of 50 states nationwide for Photographer salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Photographer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as a Photographer on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Photographer Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Photographer job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Mateo, CA, with Boston, MA and Green River, WY close behind in the second and third positions. Green River, WY beats the national average by $7,741 (16.6%), and San Mateo, CA furthers that trend with another $8,140 (17.5%) above the $46,621 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Photographer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 4% between San Mateo, CA and Irvine, CA, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Photographer role.

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Photographer Jobs in the U.S.

We found at least five jobs related to the Photographer job category that pay more per year than a typical Photographer salary. Top examples of these roles include: Wedding Photographer, Locum Tenens Real Estate Photographer, and Travel Photographer.

Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $36,266 (77.8%) and $82,510 (177.0%) more than the average Photographer salary of $46,621. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Photographer jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Photographer position.