Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Montgomery, AL is $52,160/year ($25.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.68), which stretches that salary to about $58,162 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,016/month, or 29.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $52K get you in Montgomery?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Montgomery’s Regional Price Parity (89.68). 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 Montgomery
Montgomery sits well above the national pay line for photographers, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $45K. Rent runs $1,016/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.68 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for photographers in metros near Montgomery, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $38K | $42K |
| Huntsville | $31K | $34K |
| Mobile | $37K | $43K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $50K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montgomery, AL
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $64K 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 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -9% | 1,870 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -9% | 1,460 |
| 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 with published data
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 Montgomery numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montgomery?
Yes — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 29.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,016/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in Montgomery?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,475/month. At HUD’s $1,016/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 Montgomery?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $52K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Montgomery compare to the national average for photographers?
Montgomery pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.68), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do photographers make in Montgomery, AL?
The median is $52,160 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,580, and experienced photographers can clear $88,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Montgomery?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,459/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,016/month, which eats 29.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a photographers salary go in Montgomery?
Montgomery has a Regional Price Parity of 89.68 (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 $58,162 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.