The average salary for a photographer in New York is around $60,050 per year.
Avg Salary
Photographers earn an average yearly salary of $60,050.
Wages typically start from $37,890 and go up to $109,470.
13% below national average Updated in 2025
Photographer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level photographer earnings begin at:
$52.63 per hour
$109,470 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$45.01 per hour
$93,620 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level photographer earnings begin at:
$28.87 per hour
$60,050 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level photographer earnings begin at:
$20.71 per hour
$43,080 per year
10th percentile
Starting level photographer earnings begin at:
$18.22 per hour
$37,890 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 New York. On average, they make less than illustrators but more than craft artists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Illustrator salary | $79K |
| Painter salary | $79K |
| Graphic designer salary | $77K |
| Projectionist salary | $82K |
| Museum conservator salary | $75K |
| Photographer salary | $60K |
| Art therapist salary | $66K |
| Jeweler salary | $62K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $62K |
| Craft artist salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)