Creative pay 2026
Photographer salary in Washington (2026)
Photographers in Washington earn a median $48,050 a year ($23.10 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is close to the US median for the job ($44,660), 9th of 50 states and territories. That is below the $62,990 median for all jobs in Washington.
- $48,050median a year in Washington
- $23.10median an hour
- +8%vs the US median ($44,660)
- 960employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a photographer in Washington?
Half of photographers in Washington earn between $40,690 and $65,450. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.2 times the 10th, against 3.0 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $37,440 | $30,820 | $18.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $40,690 | $36,050 | $19.56 |
| Median | $48,050 | $44,660 | $23.10 |
| 75th | $65,450 | $62,740 | $31.46 |
| 90th percentile | $83,200 | $91,810 | $40.00 |
The mean (average) is $56,270, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Washington compare with other states?
Washington sits 9th of 50, between New Mexico ($48,090) and California ($47,840).
| Idaho | $33,320 | −31% | 190 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $53,630 | +12% | 510 |
Which cities in Washington pay photographers best?
Of the 5 metro areas in Washington where BLS publishes a median for the job, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays most, at $59,220, 23% above the state median.
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 550 | $51,790 | $24.90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 350 | $59,220 | $28.47 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 170 | $45,690 | $21.97 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 40 | $43,550 | $20.94 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 30 | $38,010 | $18.28 |
How many photographers work in Washington?
BLS estimates 960 employee jobs, 0.27 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 0.81).
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 Washington?
Every other creative job here pays a higher median than photographers do.
| Motion designer | $133,480 | 1,130 |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI designer | $130,480 | 11,580 |
| Copywriter | $85,700 | 770 |
| Graphic designer | $72,710 | 3,960 |
| Video editor | $66,870 | 450 |
| Videographer | $60,250 | 440 |
What do freelance photographers charge?
Upwork, photographers list $25 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Washington's employee median of $23.10 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 Washington?
The median is $48,050 a year and the mean is $56,270, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 960 employee jobs.
How much does a photographer make an hour in Washington?
The median hourly wage is $23.10. The bottom 10% earn under $18.00 and the top 10% over $40.00.
What does a starting photographer earn in Washington?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of photographers in Washington earn under $40,690 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $37,440, 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 = 960 jobs in the Washington 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
- California $47,840
- Kentucky $47,170
- Colorado $47,070
- Virginia $46,550
- Minnesota $46,470
- Maryland $46,450