Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in North Carolina is $37,120/year ($17.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $40,060 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in North Carolina?
About photographers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for photographers in North Carolina runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 51% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for photographerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers salary by metro in North Carolina
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point | $45K | +21% | 180 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $45K | +21% | 30 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $41K | +11% | 300 |
| Winston-Salem | $39K | +5% | 120 |
| Wilmington | $38K | +2% | 80 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $37K | -1% | 690 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $37K | -1% | 210 |
| Asheville | $35K | -5% | 160 |
| Fayetteville | $35K | -7% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 51% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,700/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 76% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $37K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for photographers?
North Carolina pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in North Carolina?
The median is $37,120 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,330, and experienced photographers can clear $76,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,516/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 51% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $40,060 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.