Photographers Salary
The median pay for a photographers in West Virginia is $36,110/year ($17.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $40,559 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,008/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of West Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $36K get you in West Virginia?
About photographers
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for photographers in West Virginia runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,008/month, which is 40.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, West Virginia
Entry-level photographers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track photographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a photographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 40.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for photographers in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new photographers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,748/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $36K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for photographers?
West Virginia pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do photographers make in West Virginia?
The median is $36,110 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,130, and experienced photographers can clear $57,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,496/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 40.4% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $40,559 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.