Creative pay 2026
Photographer salary in South Carolina (2026)
Photographers in South Carolina earn a median $37,890 a year ($18.22 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 15% below the US median of $44,660; South Carolina is 35th of 50 states and territories. That is below the $46,490 median for all jobs in South Carolina.
- $37,890median a year in South Carolina
- $18.22median an hour
- −15%vs the US median ($44,660)
- 630employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a photographer in South Carolina?
Half of photographers in South Carolina earn between $27,940 and $56,890. The gap between the top and bottom 10% (2.7 times) is about the national spread.
| 10th percentile | $26,480 | $30,820 | $12.73 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $27,940 | $36,050 | $13.43 |
| Median | $37,890 | $44,660 | $18.22 |
| 75th | $56,890 | $62,740 | $27.35 |
| 90th percentile | $71,810 | $91,810 | $34.53 |
The mean (average) is $44,380, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does South Carolina compare with other states?
South Carolina sits 35th of 50, between Tennessee ($37,950) and Kansas ($37,790).
| Georgia | $43,770 | +16% | 1,420 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $37,120 | −2% | 2,130 |
Which cities in South Carolina pay photographers best?
Of the 7 metro areas in South Carolina where BLS publishes a median for the job, Charleston-North Charleston pays most, at $56,890, 50% above the state median.
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 690 | $36,810 | $17.70 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | 120 | $36,060 | $17.34 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 120 | $39,730 | $19.10 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 100 | $56,890 | $27.35 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 70 | $34,950 | $16.81 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 40 | $36,950 | $17.77 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 30 | $41,020 | $19.72 |
How many photographers work in South Carolina?
BLS estimates 630 employee jobs, 0.27 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 0.82).
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 South Carolina?
Every other creative job here pays a higher median than photographers do.
| UX/UI designer | $80,930 | 800 |
|---|---|---|
| Videographer | $57,940 | 40 |
| Graphic designer | $57,170 | 1,930 |
| Copywriter | $51,920 | 520 |
What do freelance photographers charge?
Upwork, photographers list $25 to $45 an hour, worldwide. South Carolina's employee median of $18.22 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 South Carolina?
The median is $37,890 a year and the mean is $44,380, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 630 employee jobs.
How much does a photographer make an hour in South Carolina?
The median hourly wage is $18.22. The bottom 10% earn under $12.73 and the top 10% over $34.53.
What does a starting photographer earn in South Carolina?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of photographers in South Carolina earn under $27,940 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $26,480, 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 South Carolina 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