Photographers pay range in Sacramento
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,200 or more. The middle half of photographers in Sacramento earn between $38,010 and $61,760.
- $36K10th
- $38K25th
- $46KMedian
- $62K75th
- $83K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $55,590 | $4,632 | $26.73 |
| Median | $45,880 | $3,823 | $22.06 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,010 | $3,168 | $18.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $61,760 | $5,147 | $29.69 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in Sacramento vs. California and the U.S.
Photographers in Sacramento earn 21% less than the California average ($70,040) and about the same as the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | $55,590 | $45,880 | $35,990 | $83,200 | 290 |
| California | $70,040 | $47,840 | $36,470 | $125,490 | 7,980 |
| United States | $55,410 | $44,660 | $30,820 | $91,810 | 51,760 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Photographers salary after taxes in Sacramento
On the average salary of $55,590, a single filer in Sacramento takes home about $45,319 a year, or $3,777 a month and $1,743 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Sacramento a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Sacramento area are 7% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.7), so the average $55,590 buys what about $52,114 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Sacramento ($59,750). A typical home costs $582,707, or 10.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other California cities
Sacramento ranks 10th of 15 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($83,790).
- San Francisco$83,790
- San Jose$75,490
- Los Angeles$73,520
- Santa Rosa$72,250
- Santa Maria$72,200
- San Diego$60,580
- San Luis Obispo$59,300
- Oxnard$56,670
- Bakersfield$56,240
- Sacramento$55,590
Highest-paying cities for photographers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($83,790).
- San Francisco, CA$83,790
- San Jose, CA$75,490
- Los Angeles, CA$73,520
- Santa Rosa, CA$72,250
- Santa Maria, CA$72,200
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Photographers salary in Sacramento: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Sacramento?
$26.73 an hour on average, and $22.06 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Sacramento?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Sacramento?
About $45,319 a year ($3,777 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $55,590. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do photographers earn more in Sacramento than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($55,410).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-4021; area Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA (40900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.81, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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