Photographers pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,670 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,500 or more. The middle half of photographers in San Diego earn between $36,860 and $60,980.
- $37K10th
- $37K25th
- $44KMedian
- $61K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,580 | $5,048 | $29.12 |
| Median | $44,030 | $3,669 | $21.17 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,860 | $3,072 | $17.72 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,980 | $5,082 | $29.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Photographers in San Diego earn 14% less than the California average ($70,040) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $60,580 | $44,030 | $36,670 | $74,500 | 620 |
| 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 San Diego
On the average salary of $60,580, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $49,029 a year, or $4,086 a month and $1,886 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 San Diego a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $60,580 buys what about $54,144 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 15.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 6th 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 San Diego: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in San Diego?
$29.12 an hour on average, and $21.17 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,670 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,860, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in San Diego?
About $49,029 a year ($4,086 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,580. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do photographers earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.0%.
- 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 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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