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Events photographer salary
Average events photographer salary
$36,327
Understanding Events Photographer Salaries
Events photographers capture moments at various occasions, from weddings to corporate events. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is around $36,327 annually. However, salaries can differ significantly based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, photographers working in larger cities or high-demand areas often earn more.
Salary Variations
Many factors influence compensation for events photographers:
- Location: Major metropolitan areas typically offer higher salaries due to increased demand.
- Experience: More experienced photographers generally command higher pay rates.
- Industry: Specializations such as corporate or commercial events may lead to higher earnings.
Exploring the highest-paying cities and states can provide valuable insights for photographers seeking to maximize their earnings. For example, photographers in California and New York often report higher salaries than those in other regions. Understanding these dynamics not only aids in salary negotiations but also informs career development strategies.
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Where can an Events Photographer earn more?
Average events photographer salary by state
The average events photographer salary in New York, Connecticut, and West Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average events photographer salary states are Louisiana, Florida, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for events photographers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $67,593 | $32.50 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $48,608 | $23.37 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $46,501 | $22.36 |
| 4 | Vermont | $42,058 | $20.22 |
| 5 | California | $45,542 | $21.90 |
| 6 | Virginia | $43,980 | $21.14 |
| 7 | Utah | $37,992 | $18.27 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $45,613 | $21.93 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $37,410 | $17.99 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $38,978 | $18.74 |
| 11 | Illinois | $40,724 | $19.58 |
| 12 | Alaska | $38,364 | $18.44 |
| 13 | Maryland | $44,130 | $21.22 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $41,125 | $19.77 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $43,819 | $21.07 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $41,306 | $19.86 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $33,643 | $16.17 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $37,886 | $18.21 |
| 19 | Texas | $34,778 | $16.72 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $32,569 | $15.66 |
| 21 | Colorado | $34,479 | $16.58 |
| 22 | Michigan | $34,313 | $16.50 |
| 23 | Maine | $37,878 | $18.21 |
| 24 | Ohio | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $36,166 | $17.39 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $35,319 | $16.98 |
| 27 | Washington | $35,114 | $16.88 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $36,452 | $17.52 |
| 29 | Alabama | $32,099 | $15.43 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $31,688 | $15.23 |
| 31 | Oregon | $32,013 | $15.39 |
| 32 | Georgia | $31,897 | $15.34 |
| 33 | Idaho | $33,712 | $16.21 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $31,760 | $15.27 |
| 35 | Kansas | $32,997 | $15.86 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $31,524 | $15.16 |
| 37 | Indiana | $32,839 | $15.79 |
| 38 | Arizona | $31,509 | $15.15 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $31,149 | $14.98 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $31,448 | $15.12 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $29,613 | $14.24 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,282 | $15.04 |
| 43 | Florida | $26,930 | $12.95 |
| 44 | Delaware | $32,461 | $15.61 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $26,535 | $12.76 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $28,250 | $13.58 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $29,266 | $14.07 |
| 48 | Nevada | $24,470 | $11.76 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $29,285 | $14.08 |
| 50 | Iowa | $23,897 | $11.49 |
| 51 | Missouri | $23,824 | $11.45 |
Highest paying cities for events photographers
The highest-paying cities for events photographers are New York, NY, Hartford, CT, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $68,298 | $32.84 |
| 2 | Hartford, CT | $47,110 | $22.65 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $45,253 | $21.76 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $44,910 | $21.59 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $44,279 | $21.29 |
| 6 | Richmond, VA | $43,734 | $21.03 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $41,382 | $19.90 |
| 8 | Manchester, NH | $41,231 | $19.82 |
| 9 | Burlington, VT | $41,207 | $19.81 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $41,091 | $19.76 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $39,574 | $19.03 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 13 | Fairbanks, AK | $36,771 | $17.68 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $36,504 | $17.55 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $35,263 | $16.95 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $34,631 | $16.65 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | $34,534 | $16.60 |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $34,301 | $16.49 |
| 19 | Little Rock, AR | $33,525 | $16.12 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $32,834 | $15.79 |
Events photographer salary details
An events photographer's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an events photographer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| Average | $36,327 | $3,027 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying events photographer jobs
The highest paying types of events photographers are school photographer, photography assistant, and assistant manager and photographer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photography Internship | $67,376 | $5,615 | $32.39 | 52,675 |
| Photographer, Editor | $51,131 | $4,261 | $24.58 | 11,039 |
| School Photographer | $98,357 | $8,196 | $47.29 | 25,482 |
| Portrait Photographer | $27,728 | $2,311 | $13.33 | 1,707 |
| Owner/Photographer | $39,992 | $3,333 | $19.23 | 47,716 |
| Product Photographer | $37,701 | $3,142 | $18.13 | 57,109 |
Top companies hiring events photographers now:
Which companies pay events photographers the most?
Events photographer salaries at San Francisco University High School and Cincinnati Eye Institute are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average events photographer salary at companies like Balfour Senior Living and American Achievement Group Holding Corp are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco University High School | $53,699 | $25.82 |
| 2 | Cincinnati Eye Institute | $34,448 | $16.56 |
| 3 | Balfour Senior Living | $29,915 | $14.38 |
| 4 | American Achievement Group Holding Corp | $29,771 | $14.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Events Photographer salary by industry
The average events photographer salary varies across industries:
- The average events photographer salary in the media industry is $41,825, the highest of any industry.
- The average events photographer salary in the finance industry is $40,474.
- Events photographers in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $29,489, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for events photographers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $41,825 | $20.11 |
| 2 | Education | $40,474 | $19.46 |
| 3 | Professional | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 4 | Insurance | $34,169 | $16.43 |
| 5 | Technology | $33,386 | $16.05 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $30,992 | $14.90 |
| 7 | Retail | $30,339 | $14.59 |
| 8 | Non Profits | $29,489 | $14.18 |
High paying events photographer jobs
Events photographer salary trends
The average events photographer salary has risen by $10,930 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average events photographer earned $25,397 annually, but today, they earn $36,327 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for events photographers over the last decade.
Compare events photographer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average events photographer salary over time
Compare events photographer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Events photographer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,300 | $17.46 | +12.1% |
| 2024 | $31,900 | $15.35 | +6.3% |
| 2023 | $29,900 | $14.38 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $28,600 | $13.75 | -4.9% |
| 2021 | $30,000 | $14.41 | +6.9% |
Recently added events photographer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Balfour & Co | Graduation Event Photographer | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Balfour & Co | Graduation Event Photographer | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Phoenix, AZ | 06/11/2025 | $52,175 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Manchester, NH | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Birmingham, AL | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Portland, OR | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer-ST. Louis County | Saint Louis, MO | 06/10/2025 | $46,958 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer-South Florida | Davie, FL | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Gradimages | Graduation Event Photographer | Boston, MA | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
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