Photographers
Photographers (SOC 27-4021) earn a median $44,660 a year ($21.47 an hour) in the United States, with 51,760 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What photographers do
Photographers photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects, and may use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance and editing software to produce finished images and prints. The occupation includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists, and alternate titles such as aerial photographer, biomedical photographer, and crime scene photographer show other specialties. They adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to lighting, depth of field, subject motion, film type, and film speed, create artificial light with flashes and reflectors, and determine the desired images and composition. They use traditional or digital cameras with equipment such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments, take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups in the studio or on location, transfer photographs to computers for editing and archiving, and enhance, retouch, and resize images. Camera operators for television, video, and film are counted separately.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is some college coursework.
Also called: Advertising Photographer, Aerial Photographer, Automotive Photographer, Biological Photographer, Biomedical Photographer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.82 | $17.33 | $21.47 | $30.16 | $44.14 | $26.64 | 51,760 |
| Annual | $30,820 | $36,050 | $44,660 | $62,740 | $91,810 | $55,410 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where photographers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $22.15 | $39.99 | $53.35 | $60.20 | $71.33 | $50.30 | 260 | 0.38 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $46,080 | $83,170 | $110,970 | $125,220 | $148,360 | $104,630 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.22 | $20.71 | $28.87 | $45.01 | $52.63 | $34.48 | 3,650 | 0.38 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $37,890 | $43,080 | $60,050 | $93,620 | $109,470 | $71,710 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $18.50 | $20.87 | $27.88 | $47.35 | $54.21 | $34.28 | 830 | 0.23 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $38,480 | $43,410 | $57,990 | $98,490 | $112,760 | $71,300 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.79 | $20.46 | $25.78 | $38.79 | $53.07 | $33.31 | 510 | 0.26 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $37,010 | $42,560 | $53,630 | $80,680 | $110,380 | $69,290 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $15.11 | $16.42 | $25.07 | $29.90 | $38.98 | $24.66 | 660 | 0.38 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $31,440 | $34,150 | $52,140 | $62,200 | $81,070 | $51,290 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.54 | $18.47 | $23.00 | $34.66 | $60.33 | $33.67 | 7,980 | 0.44 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $36,470 | $38,410 | $47,840 | $72,100 | $125,490 | $70,040 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.42 | $16.29 | $20.50 | $31.20 | $38.65 | $25.06 | 4,390 | 0.44 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $29,990 | $33,890 | $42,640 | $64,890 | $80,400 | $52,130 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.98 | $16.82 | $19.85 | $24.77 | $30.15 | $21.02 | 4,330 | 0.31 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $24,910 | $34,980 | $41,280 | $51,510 | $62,720 | $43,720 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.22 | $20.71 | $28.87 | $45.01 | $52.63 | $34.48 | 3,650 | 0.38 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $37,890 | $43,080 | $60,050 | $93,620 | $109,470 | $71,710 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.53 | $17.58 | $27.69 | $46.52 | $24.33 | 2,150 | 0.35 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $32,300 | $36,570 | $57,590 | $96,770 | $50,600 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bend, OR | Hourly | $17.88 | $21.55 | $31.73 | $38.79 | $42.07 | $32.35 | 30 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $37,190 | $44,820 | $65,990 | $80,680 | $87,510 | $67,290 | ||||
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | Hourly | $18.01 | $19.02 | $30.07 | $35.02 | $44.33 | $32.83 | 70 | 0.39 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $37,450 | $39,560 | $62,550 | $72,850 | $92,200 | $68,280 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $19.04 | $21.40 | $29.29 | $42.60 | $48.07 | $32.06 | 60 | 0.29 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $39,590 | $44,510 | $60,930 | $88,610 | $99,990 | $66,690 | ||||
| Springfield, MA | Hourly | $18.83 | $24.19 | $29.06 | $32.73 | $47.82 | $30.23 | 40 | 0.19 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $39,170 | $50,320 | $60,430 | $68,080 | $99,460 | $62,870 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.15 | $19.98 | $28.87 | $45.07 | $53.07 | $34.55 | 3,590 | 0.38 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $37,750 | $41,560 | $60,050 | $93,750 | $110,380 | $71,860 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.53 | $18.47 | $23.00 | $38.01 | $63.99 | $35.35 | 4,290 | 0.69 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $36,460 | $38,410 | $47,840 | $79,060 | $133,090 | $73,520 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.15 | $19.98 | $28.87 | $45.07 | $53.07 | $34.55 | 3,590 | 0.38 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $37,750 | $41,560 | $60,050 | $93,750 | $110,380 | $71,860 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $16.60 | $17.70 | $28.38 | $48.12 | $25.02 | 1,590 | 0.35 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $34,520 | $36,810 | $59,020 | $100,080 | $52,040 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.57 | $17.20 | $21.14 | $25.60 | $30.88 | $21.86 | 1,480 | 0.37 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $26,150 | $35,770 | $43,970 | $53,240 | $64,220 | $45,480 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $16.09 | $18.00 | $24.03 | $35.58 | $44.77 | $27.95 | 1,470 | 0.52 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $33,470 | $37,440 | $49,980 | $74,000 | $93,120 | $58,140 | ||||
Top industries employing photographers
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employ 55.7% of photographers nationally (28,850 jobs) at a median $39,360 a year ($18.92 an hour), followed by Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (3.2%) and Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (3.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 28,850 | 55.7% | $39,360 | $18.92 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 1,670 | 3.2% | $51,510 | $24.77 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers NAICS 516200 | 1,620 | 3.1% | $74,190 | $35.67 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades NAICS 713100 | 1,430 | 2.8% | $38,410 | $18.47 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations NAICS 516100 | 1,310 | 2.5% | $62,520 | $30.06 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (51,760). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,950 for photographers in May 2021 and $44,660 in May 2025, with employment of 38,420 and 51,760.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,950 | $18.73 | 38,420 |
| May 2022 | $40,170 | $19.31 | 47,380 |
| May 2023 | $40,760 | $19.60 | 53,630 |
| May 2024 | $42,520 | $20.44 | 51,230 |
| May 2025 | $44,660 | $21.47 | 51,760 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $53.35 | $110,970 | $46,080 | $148,360 | 260 | 0.38 | 1.13 |
| 2 | New York profile | $28.87 | $60,050 | $37,890 | $109,470 | 3,650 | 0.38 | 1.13 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $27.88 | $57,990 | $38,480 | $112,760 | 830 | 0.23 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $25.78 | $53,630 | $37,010 | $110,380 | 510 | 0.26 | 0.78 |
| 5 | Utah profile | $25.07 | $52,140 | $31,440 | $81,070 | 660 | 0.38 | 1.14 |
| 6 | Delaware profile | $24.09 | $50,100 | $32,980 | $71,170 | 180 | 0.37 | 1.11 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $23.94 | $49,790 | $34,010 | $79,880 | 630 | 0.37 | 1.12 |
| 8 | New Mexico profile | $23.12 | $48,090 | $34,800 | $79,780 | 230 | 0.26 | 0.79 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $23.10 | $48,050 | $37,440 | $83,200 | 960 | 0.27 | 0.81 |
| 10 | California profile | $23.00 | $47,840 | $36,470 | $125,490 | 7,980 | 0.44 | 1.32 |
| 11 | Kentucky profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $23,990 | $76,490 | 380 | 0.19 | 0.57 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $22.63 | $47,070 | $36,440 | $92,200 | 1,140 | 0.40 | 1.19 |
| 13 | Maine profile | $22.44 | $46,680 | $33,270 | $79,230 | 180 | 0.29 | 0.86 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $22.38 | $46,550 | $31,200 | $91,060 | 1,580 | 0.38 | 1.15 |
| 15 | Minnesota profile | $22.34 | $46,470 | $36,890 | $84,530 | 730 | 0.25 | 0.74 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $31,200 | $93,660 | 790 | 0.29 | 0.86 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $22.10 | $45,960 | $30,800 | $105,820 | 440 | 0.70 | 2.09 |
| 18 | Mississippi profile | $22.05 | $45,860 | $24,030 | $65,370 | 190 | 0.17 | 0.50 |
| 19 | South Dakota profile | $21.79 | $45,330 | $31,150 | $54,750 | 190 | 0.41 | 1.22 |
| 20 | New Hampshire profile | $21.53 | $44,780 | $22,110 | $76,570 | 220 | 0.32 | 0.97 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $21.04 | $43,770 | $22,690 | $103,550 | 1,420 | 0.29 | 0.87 |
| 22 | Florida profile | $20.50 | $42,640 | $29,990 | $80,400 | 4,390 | 0.44 | 1.33 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $20.22 | $42,060 | $31,540 | $80,550 | 850 | 0.29 | 0.87 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | $20.15 | $41,920 | $28,080 | $71,150 | 220 | 0.22 | 0.66 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $19.85 | $41,280 | $24,910 | $62,720 | 4,330 | 0.31 | 0.92 |
| 26 | New Jersey profile | $19.48 | $40,520 | $34,990 | $91,780 | 1,460 | 0.34 | 1.02 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.48 | $40,520 | $29,020 | $75,100 | 1,870 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $19.18 | $39,900 | $24,070 | $110,570 | 190 | 0.36 | 1.09 |
| 29 | Wyoming profile | $18.91 | $39,330 | $28,430 | $70,290 | 50 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 30 | Alaska profile | $18.84 | $39,190 | $34,040 | $101,430 | 50 | 0.16 | 0.48 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $29,600 | $74,530 | 950 | 0.32 | 0.97 |
| 32 | Ohio profile | $18.50 | $38,470 | $23,670 | $80,990 | 1,540 | 0.28 | 0.83 |
| 33 | Iowa profile | $18.41 | $38,290 | $15,080 | $77,830 | 430 | 0.28 | 0.83 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $18.25 | $37,950 | $28,820 | $67,060 | 780 | 0.24 | 0.71 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $18.22 | $37,890 | $26,480 | $71,810 | 630 | 0.27 | 0.82 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $18.17 | $37,790 | $29,340 | $72,380 | 300 | 0.21 | 0.63 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $18.01 | $37,460 | $26,610 | $57,640 | 890 | 0.57 | 1.71 |
| 38 | North Dakota profile | $17.99 | $37,410 | $35,350 | $71,500 | 70 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| 39 | Rhode Island profile | $17.93 | $37,300 | $34,600 | $76,810 | 220 | 0.45 | 1.34 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $17.84 | $37,120 | $28,330 | $76,060 | 2,130 | 0.43 | 1.30 |
| 41 | Arizona profile | $17.77 | $36,970 | $32,080 | $84,130 | 1,360 | 0.42 | 1.26 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $17.71 | $36,830 | $19,180 | $70,310 | 510 | 0.26 | 0.79 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $17.67 | $36,750 | $17,210 | $63,370 | 330 | 0.19 | 0.58 |
| 44 | Illinois profile | $17.58 | $36,570 | $31,200 | $96,770 | 2,150 | 0.35 | 1.06 |
| 45 | Alabama profile | $17.37 | $36,130 | $24,590 | $72,550 | 530 | 0.25 | 0.76 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $17.36 | $36,110 | $29,130 | $57,510 | 110 | 0.15 | 0.46 |
| 47 | Indiana profile | $17.29 | $35,960 | $24,960 | $59,350 | 810 | 0.25 | 0.76 |
| 48 | Idaho profile | $16.02 | $33,320 | $22,470 | $53,790 | 190 | 0.23 | 0.67 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $15.78 | $32,810 | $24,890 | $43,950 | 240 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| – | Michigan profile | * | * | * | * | 970 | 0.22 | 0.66 |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.19 | 0.58 |
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-4021 Photographers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-4021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-4021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.