SOC 27-4021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Photographers — Arizona
Arizona · 3 metro areas compared
In Arizona the median wage is $36,970.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +1.8%
- Openings per year
- 12,700
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
66.3% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Arizona.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Arizona the median wage is $36,970. That is 17.2% lower than the national median of $44,660. Pay ranges from under $32,080 at the tenth percentile to more than $84,130 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $34,640 to $46,660.
Employment stands at 1,360, or 0.4 jobs per thousand held locally. Arizona ranks number 41st out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Tucson records the highest median at $43,360. Of the 712 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 661st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,080 | −28.2% |
| 25th | $34,640 | −22.4% |
| Median (50th) | $36,970 | −17.2% |
| 75th | $46,660 | +4.5% |
| 90th | $84,130 | +88.4% |
| Mean | $47,330 | +6.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Arizona
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Arizona sit close to the national average, so $36,970 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$36,970as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$36,713US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,970 a year, 17.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,080 to $84,130 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,360 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 41st of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Tucson, at $43,360.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Photographers in Arizona?
The median annual wage is $36,970, or $17.77 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $44,660, so pay in Arizona is 17.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Arizona earns more than $84,130 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Tucson, at $43,360 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,360 jobs in this occupation in Arizona. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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