Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Pennsylvania is $40,520/year ($19.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $42,666 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 48% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Pennsylvania?
About photographers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Photographers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 48.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $44K | +8% | 950 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $43K | +6% | 60 |
| Pittsburgh | $43K | +5% | 290 |
| Reading | $42K | +5% | 40 |
| York-Hanover | $40K | -1% | 40 |
| Lancaster | $38K | -7% | 120 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $35K | -13% | 170 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $35K | -13% | 80 |
| Chambersburg | $27K | -34% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 48.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,741/month. At HUD’s $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for photographers?
Pennsylvania pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $40,520 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,020, and experienced photographers can clear $75,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,779/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 48.6% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $42,666 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.