Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Colorado Springs, CO is $42,110/year ($20.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $42K actually covers in Colorado Springs, month by month
About photographers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for photographers in metros near Colorado Springs, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $47K | , |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $37K | $36K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $60K | $59K |
| Oklahoma City | $39K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado Springs, CO
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Photographers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111K | +148% | 260 |
| New York | $60K | +34% | 3,650 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +30% | 830 |
| Oregon | $54K | +20% | 510 |
| Utah | $52K | +17% | 660 |
| Delaware | $50K | +12% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $50K | +11% | 630 |
| New Mexico | $48K | +8% | 230 |
| Washington | $48K | +8% | 960 |
| California | $48K | +7% | 7,980 |
| Kentucky | $47K | +6% | 380 |
| Colorado | $47K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Maine | $47K | +5% | 180 |
| Virginia | $47K | +4% | 1,580 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +4% | 730 |
| Maryland | $46K | +4% | 790 |
| Hawaii | $46K | +3% | 440 |
| Mississippi | $46K | +3% | 190 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +2% | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +0% | 220 |
| Georgia | $44K | -2% | 1,420 |
| Florida | $43K | -5% | 4,390 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | -6% | 850 |
| Nebraska | $42K | -6% | 220 |
| Texas | $41K | -8% | 4,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -9% | 1,870 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -9% | 1,460 |
| Montana | $40K | -11% | 190 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -12% | 50 |
| Alaska | $39K | -12% | 50 |
| Missouri | $39K | -12% | 950 |
| Ohio | $38K | -14% | 1,540 |
| Iowa | $38K | -14% | 430 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -15% | 780 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -15% | 630 |
| Kansas | $38K | -15% | 300 |
| Nevada | $37K | -16% | 890 |
| North Dakota | $37K | -16% | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -16% | 220 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -17% | 2,130 |
| Arizona | $37K | -17% | 1,360 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -18% | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -18% | 330 |
| Illinois | $37K | -18% | 2,150 |
| Alabama | $36K | -19% | 530 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -19% | 110 |
| Indiana | $36K | -19% | 810 |
| Idaho | $33K | -25% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $33K | -27% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado Springs numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado Springs?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 52.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,481/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in Colorado Springs?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,405/month.
Is photographer a high-paying job in Colorado Springs?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Colorado Springs compare to the national average for photographers?
Colorado Springs pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -6%.
How much do photographers make in Colorado Springs, CO?
The median is $42,110 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,310, and experienced photographers can clear $90,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Colorado Springs?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,835/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,481/month, which eats 52.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a photographers salary go in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median photographers salary is worth about $42,110 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do photographers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.