Creative pay 2026
Photographer salary in Louisiana (2026)
Photographers in Louisiana earn a median $36,830 a year ($17.71 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 18% below the US median of $44,660; Louisiana is 42nd of 50 states and territories. That is below the $45,520 median for all jobs in Louisiana.
- $36,830median a year in Louisiana
- $17.71median an hour
- −18%vs the US median ($44,660)
- 510employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a photographer in Louisiana?
Half of photographers in Louisiana earn between $26,240 and $56,550. Pay is more spread out than nationally: the top 10% earn at least 3.7 times what the bottom 10% earn, against 3.0 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $19,180 | $30,820 | $9.22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $26,240 | $36,050 | $12.62 |
| Median | $36,830 | $44,660 | $17.71 |
| 75th | $56,550 | $62,740 | $27.19 |
| 90th percentile | $70,310 | $91,810 | $33.80 |
The mean (average) is $43,530, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Louisiana compare with other states?
Louisiana sits 42nd of 50, between Arizona ($36,970) and Oklahoma ($36,750).
| Arkansas | $32,810 | −11% | 240 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $45,860 | +25% | 190 |
| Texas | $41,280 | +12% | 4,330 |
Which cities in Louisiana pay photographers best?
Of the 3 metro areas in Louisiana where BLS publishes a median for the job, Slidell-Mandeville-Covington pays most, at $45,040, 22% above the state median.
| Baton Rouge, LA | 100 | $41,690 | $20.04 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | 50 | $30,450 | $14.64 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | 30 | $45,040 | $21.65 |
How many photographers work in Louisiana?
BLS estimates 510 employee jobs, 0.26 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.79, 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 Louisiana?
Every other creative job here pays a higher median than photographers do.
| Copywriter | $89,520 | 480 |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI designer | $68,790 | 170 |
| Video editor | $66,870 | 80 |
| Videographer | $58,440 | 270 |
| Graphic designer | $49,910 | 1,750 |
What do freelance photographers charge?
Upwork, photographers list $25 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Louisiana's employee median of $17.71 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 Louisiana?
The median is $36,830 a year and the mean is $43,530, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 510 employee jobs.
How much does a photographer make an hour in Louisiana?
The median hourly wage is $17.71. The bottom 10% earn under $9.22 and the top 10% over $33.80.
What does a starting photographer earn in Louisiana?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of photographers in Louisiana earn under $26,240 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $19,180, 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 = 510 jobs in the Louisiana 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