Creative pay 2026
Photographer salary in Connecticut (2026)
Photographers in Connecticut earn a median $49,790 a year ($23.94 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 11% more than the US median of $44,660, and 7th of 50 states and territories with published figures. That is below the $59,690 median for all jobs in Connecticut.
- $49,790median a year in Connecticut
- $23.94median an hour
- +11%vs the US median ($44,660)
- 630employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a photographer in Connecticut?
Half of photographers in Connecticut earn between $44,300 and $69,730. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.3 times the 10th, against 3.0 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $34,010 | $30,820 | $16.35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $44,300 | $36,050 | $21.30 |
| Median | $49,790 | $44,660 | $23.94 |
| 75th | $69,730 | $62,740 | $33.52 |
| 90th percentile | $79,880 | $91,810 | $38.40 |
The mean (average) is $57,250, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Connecticut compare with other states?
Connecticut sits 7th of 50, between Delaware ($50,100) and New Mexico ($48,090).
| Massachusetts | $57,990 | +16% | 830 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $60,050 | +21% | 3,650 |
| Rhode Island | $37,300 | −25% | 220 |
Which cities in Connecticut pay photographers best?
Of the 5 metro areas in Connecticut where BLS publishes a median for the job, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury pays most, at $54,260, 9% above the state median.
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 160 | $54,260 | $26.09 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 160 | $51,410 | $24.72 |
| New Haven, CT | 100 | $51,000 | $24.52 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 70 | $46,880 | $22.54 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 50 | $46,540 | $22.37 |
How many photographers work in Connecticut?
BLS estimates 630 employee jobs, 0.37 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 1.12).
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 Connecticut?
Every other creative job here pays a higher median than photographers do.
| Copywriter | $98,460 | 480 |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI designer | $94,660 | 1,060 |
| Video editor | $83,550 | 600 |
| Graphic designer | $72,700 | 1,930 |
| Videographer | $65,630 | 170 |
What do freelance photographers charge?
Upwork, photographers list $25 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Connecticut's employee median of $23.94 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 Connecticut?
The median is $49,790 a year and the mean is $57,250, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 630 employee jobs.
How much does a photographer make an hour in Connecticut?
The median hourly wage is $23.94. The bottom 10% earn under $16.35 and the top 10% over $38.40.
What does a starting photographer earn in Connecticut?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of photographers in Connecticut earn under $44,300 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $34,010, 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 = 630 jobs in the Connecticut 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
- Washington $48,050
- California $47,840
- Kentucky $47,170
- Colorado $47,070
- Virginia $46,550
- Minnesota $46,470
- Maryland $46,450