Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Kennewick-Richland, WA is $38,010/year ($18.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers.
So what does $38K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.1). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About photographers
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What this looks like in Kennewick-Richland
Pay for photographers in Kennewick-Richland runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $45K. Rent runs $935/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.1) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for photographers in metros near Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $52K | , |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $46K | , |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $44K | , |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $59K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $28K 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 Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $935/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,186/month. At HUD’s $935/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is photographer a high-paying job in Kennewick-Richland?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for photographers?
Kennewick-Richland pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $38,010 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,440, and experienced photographers can clear $64,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,715/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $935/month, which eats 34.4% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland 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 $37,972 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.