Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in Waco, TX is $44,300/year ($21.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers.
So what does $44K get you in Waco?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waco’s Regional Price Parity (92.5). 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 Waco
Photographers pay in Waco tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $999/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.5 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for photographers in metros near Waco, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Killeen-Temple | $33K | , |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $44K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $41K | , |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $39K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waco, TX
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $56K 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 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -9% | 1,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -9% | 1,870 |
| 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
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 Waco numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waco?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $999/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in Waco?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,333/month. At HUD’s $999/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Waco?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Waco compare to the national average for photographers?
Waco pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.5), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do photographers make in Waco, TX?
The median is $44,300 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,210, and experienced photographers can clear $78,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Waco?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,136/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $999/month, which eats 31.9% 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 Waco?
Waco has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median photographers salary is worth about $47,892 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.