Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Modesto, CA is $44,240/year ($21.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.11), that's roughly $42,494 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,758/month, about 57.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Modesto?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Modesto’s Regional Price Parity (104.11). 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 Modesto
Photographers pay in Modesto tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,758/month, which is 57.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.11) 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 Modesto, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $48K | $42K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $59K | $51K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $44K | $39K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $44K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Modesto, CA
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $27K 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 Modesto numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Modesto?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 57.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,758/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 Modesto?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,152/month. At HUD’s $1,758/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Modesto?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Modesto compare to the national average for photographers?
Modesto pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.11), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in Modesto, CA?
The median is $44,240 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,860, and experienced photographers can clear $62,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Modesto?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,053/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,758/month, which eats 57.6% 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 Modesto?
Modesto has a Regional Price Parity of 104.11 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median photographers salary is worth about $42,494 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.