SOC 27-4021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Photographers — Rochester
Rochester, NY · 6 metro areas compared
At $42,260, median pay for Photographers in Rochester, NY tracks the national median of $44,660 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $42,260, median pay for Photographers in Rochester, NY tracks the national median of $44,660 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $35,000 and $63,170. The lowest tenth earn under $34,400, while the highest tenth earn more than $78,280.
The area has 120 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.70 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. New York leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $60,050. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 477th of 562 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,400 | −23.0% |
| 25th | $35,000 | −21.6% |
| Median (50th) | $42,260 | −5.4% |
| 75th | $63,170 | +41.4% |
| 90th | $78,280 | +75.3% |
| Mean | $50,340 | +12.7% |
Other metro areas in New York
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Rochester run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $42,260 buys what $39,166 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 12.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$42,260as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$39,166US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $42,260 a year, 5.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,400 to $78,280 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is New York, at $60,050.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Photographers in Rochester, NY?
The median annual wage is $42,260, or $20.32 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 Rochester, NY is 5.4% 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 Rochester, NY earns more than $78,280 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,400 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 New York, at $60,050 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in Rochester, NY. 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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