Photographers pay range in Trenton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $90,580 or more. The middle half of photographers in Trenton earn between $37,720 and $77,850.
- $35K10th
- $38K25th
- $44KMedian
- $78K75th
- $91K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,930 | $4,828 | $27.85 |
| Median | $43,940 | $3,662 | $21.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,720 | $3,143 | $18.13 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $77,850 | $6,488 | $37.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in Trenton vs. New Jersey and the U.S.
Photographers in Trenton earn 8% more than the New Jersey average ($53,410) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | $57,930 | $43,940 | $35,350 | $90,580 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $53,410 | $40,520 | $34,990 | $91,780 | 1,460 |
| 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 Trenton
On the average salary of $57,930, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $47,074 a year, or $3,923 a month and $1,811 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Is Trenton a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $57,930 buys what about $56,145 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 7.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other New Jersey cities
Trenton ranks 1st of 2 New Jersey metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Trenton$57,930
- Atlantic City$55,760
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 Trenton: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Trenton?
$27.85 an hour on average, and $21.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Trenton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,720, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Trenton?
About $47,074 a year ($3,923 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,930. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Do photographers earn more in Trenton than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
- 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.45, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.45).
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