Photographers pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $119,280 or more. The middle half of photographers in San Francisco earn between $46,800 and $81,270.
- $41K10th
- $47K25th
- $59KMedian
- $81K75th
- $119K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $83,790 | $6,982 | $40.28 |
| Median | $58,840 | $4,903 | $28.29 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,800 | $3,900 | $22.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $81,270 | $6,772 | $39.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Photographers in San Francisco earn 20% more than the California average ($70,040) and 51% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is +32% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $83,790 | $58,840 | $41,250 | $119,280 | 880 |
| 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 Francisco
On the average salary of $83,790, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $64,076 a year, or $5,340 a month and $2,464 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 Francisco a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $83,790 buys what about $72,475 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 13.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 15 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Francisco: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in San Francisco?
$40.28 an hour on average, and $28.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $64,076 a year ($5,340 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $83,790. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do photographers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 51% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 18.1%.
- 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 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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