Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Montana is $39,900/year ($19.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $41,134 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 41.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in Montana?
About photographers
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for photographers in Montana runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 41.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for photographerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers salary by metro in Montana
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $44K | +10% | 60 |
| Billings | $36K | -9% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 41.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/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 Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,444/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Montana?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for photographers?
Montana pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in Montana?
The median is $39,900 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,070, and experienced photographers can clear $110,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,738/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 41.2% 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 Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (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 $41,134 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.