Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $47,340/year ($22.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers.
So what does $47K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About photographers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for photographers in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | $42K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $63K | , |
| Boulder | $61K | , |
| Greeley | $42K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $60K 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 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -9% | 1,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -9% | 1,870 |
| 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 64.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,277/month.
Is photographer a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for photographers?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +6%.
How much do photographers make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $47,340 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,950, and experienced photographers can clear $97,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,166/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 64.6% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial 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 $47,340 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.