Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Utah is $52,140/year ($25.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $52,913 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 39.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Utah?
About photographers
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What this looks like in Utah
Utah sits well above the national pay line for photographers, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 39% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Photographers salary by metro in Utah
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $60K | +15% | 280 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $36K | -31% | 130 |
| Ogden | $34K | -35% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 39% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,886/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Utah?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $52K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for photographers?
Utah pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do photographers make in Utah?
The median is $52,140 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,440, and experienced photographers can clear $81,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,459/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 39% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $52,913 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.