Photographers pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,810 or more. The middle half of photographers in Denver earn between $39,110 and $73,420.
- $38K10th
- $39K25th
- $47KMedian
- $73K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $59,430 | $4,952 | $28.57 |
| Median | $47,340 | $3,945 | $22.76 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,110 | $3,259 | $18.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,420 | $6,118 | $35.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Photographers in Denver earn about the same as the Colorado average ($58,170) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is +6% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $59,430 | $47,340 | $37,950 | $97,810 | 620 |
| Colorado | $58,170 | $47,070 | $36,440 | $92,200 | 1,140 |
| 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 Denver
On the average salary of $59,430, a single filer in Denver takes home about $48,025 a year, or $4,002 a month and $1,847 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $59,430 buys what about $56,182 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 9.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 3rd of 5 Colorado metro areas for this job; Fort Collins pays the most ($68,280).
- Fort Collins$68,280
- Boulder$66,690
- Denver$59,430
- Colorado Springs$55,530
- Greeley$53,270
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 Denver: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Denver?
$28.57 an hour on average, and $22.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Denver?
About $48,025 a year ($4,002 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,430. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do photographers earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.17, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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