Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Mississippi is $45,860/year ($22.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $51,586 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 34.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Mississippi?
About photographers
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Photographers pay in Mississippi tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,077/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers salary by metro in Mississippi
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $48K | +4% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/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 Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,442/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Mississippi?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for photographers?
Mississippi pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do photographers make in Mississippi?
The median is $45,860 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,030, and experienced photographers can clear $65,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,061/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 35.2% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median photographers salary is worth about $51,586 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.