Creative pay 2026
Photographer salary in Alabama (2026)
Photographers in Alabama earn a median $36,130 a year ($17.37 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 19% below the US median of $44,660; Alabama is 45th of 50 states and territories. That is below the $45,670 median for all jobs in Alabama.
- $36,130median a year in Alabama
- $17.37median an hour
- −19%vs the US median ($44,660)
- 530employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a photographer in Alabama?
Half of photographers in Alabama earn between $28,470 and $55,760. The gap between the top and bottom 10% (3.0 times) is about the national spread.
| 10th percentile | $24,590 | $30,820 | $11.82 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $28,470 | $36,050 | $13.69 |
| Median | $36,130 | $44,660 | $17.37 |
| 75th | $55,760 | $62,740 | $26.81 |
| 90th percentile | $72,550 | $91,810 | $34.88 |
The mean (average) is $43,480, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Alabama compare with other states?
Alabama sits 45th of 50, between Illinois ($36,570) and West Virginia ($36,110).
Which cities in Alabama pay photographers best?
Of the 4 metro areas in Alabama where BLS publishes a median for the job, Montgomery pays most, at $52,160, 44% above the state median.
| Birmingham, AL | 130 | $38,390 | $18.46 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 90 | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Mobile, AL | 40 | $37,490 | $18.02 |
| Montgomery, AL | 30 | $52,160 | $25.08 |
How many photographers work in Alabama?
BLS estimates 530 employee jobs, 0.25 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.76, where 1 is the US average.
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in Alabama?
Every other creative job here pays a higher median than photographers do.
| Video editor | $74,410 | 120 |
|---|---|---|
| Copywriter | $66,950 | 180 |
| Videographer | $61,800 | 220 |
| UX/UI designer | $51,860 | 130 |
| Graphic designer | $51,070 | 1,760 |
What do freelance photographers charge?
Upwork, photographers list $25 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Alabama's employee median of $17.37 an hour is below that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average photographer salary in Alabama?
The median is $36,130 a year and the mean is $43,480, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 530 employee jobs.
How much does a photographer make an hour in Alabama?
The median hourly wage is $17.37. The bottom 10% earn under $11.82 and the top 10% over $34.88.
What does a starting photographer earn in Alabama?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of photographers in Alabama earn under $28,470 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $24,590, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-4021, Photographers. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 530 jobs in the Alabama estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Photographer pay in other states
- District of Columbia $110,970
- New York $60,050
- Massachusetts $57,990
- Oregon $53,630
- Utah $52,140
- Connecticut $49,790
- Washington $48,050
- California $47,840
- Kentucky $47,170
- Colorado $47,070
- Virginia $46,550
- Minnesota $46,470