Photographers salary
in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Middle 50%
- $46,800–$81,270
- vs U.S. median
- +32%
- Metro rank
- #4 of 45
Photographers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro earn a median of $58,840 a year, based on BLS estimates for 880 jobs (May 2025). That is 32% above the U.S. median of $44,660 and 23% above the CA statewide median of $47,840. It ranks #4 of 45 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE880 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Photographers pay in other CA metros
5 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $52,470 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,840 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,880 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,030 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $43,710 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SAN FRANCISCO
Questions
What is the average Photographers salary in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $58,840 a year (May 2025). Half of the 880 jobs pay between $46,800 and $81,270. The 10th percentile is $41,250 and the 90th is $119,280.
Is San Francisco a high-paying metro for Photographers?
That is 32% above the U.S. median of $44,660 and 23% above the CA statewide median of $47,840. It ranks #4 of 45 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Photographers make an hour in San Francisco?
About $28.29 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $58,840 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $22.50–$39.07 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.