Photographers pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $127,560 or more. The middle half of photographers in San Jose earn between $42,760 and $80,950.
- $41K10th
- $43K25th
- $52KMedian
- $81K75th
- $128K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,490 | $6,291 | $36.29 |
| Median | $52,470 | $4,372 | $25.23 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,760 | $3,563 | $20.56 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $80,950 | $6,746 | $38.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Photographers in San Jose earn 8% more than the California average ($70,040) and 36% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is +17% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $75,490 | $52,470 | $40,610 | $127,560 | 210 |
| 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 Jose
On the average salary of $75,490, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $58,970 a year, or $4,914 a month and $2,268 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% 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 Jose a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $75,490 buys what about $68,364 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 21.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 2nd 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 Jose: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in San Jose?
$36.30 an hour on average, and $25.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,760, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in San Jose?
About $58,970 a year ($4,914 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,490. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do photographers earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 36% 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.9%.
- 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 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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