Photographers pay range in McAllen
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,420 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,280 or more. The middle half of photographers in McAllen earn between $24,770 and $37,390.
- $20K10th
- $25K25th
- $28KMedian
- $37K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,360 | $2,697 | $15.56 |
| Median | $28,110 | $2,342 | $13.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $24,770 | $2,064 | $11.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,390 | $3,116 | $17.98 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in McAllen vs. Texas and the U.S.
Photographers in McAllen earn 26% less than the Texas average ($43,720) and 42% less than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is -37% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen | $32,360 | $28,110 | $20,420 | $46,280 | 70 |
| Texas | $43,720 | $41,280 | $24,910 | $62,720 | 4,330 |
| 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 McAllen
On the average salary of $32,360, a single filer in McAllen takes home about $28,181 a year, or $2,348 a month and $1,084 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is McAllen a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the McAllen area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $32,360 buys what about $37,674 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in McAllen ($35,830). A typical home costs $193,978, or 6.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Texas cities
McAllen ranks 12th of 12 Texas metro areas for this job; Waco pays the most ($46,990).
- Waco$46,990
- Dallas$45,480
- Houston$44,940
- Corpus Christi$43,530
- Lubbock$43,210
- San Antonio$42,330
- Austin$41,590
- Beaumont$40,980
- El Paso$40,400
- McAllen$32,360
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 McAllen: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in McAllen?
$15.56 an hour on average, and $13.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in McAllen?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,420 a year and the 25th percentile is $24,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in McAllen?
About $28,181 a year ($2,348 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,360. Texas has no state income tax.
Do photographers earn more in McAllen than elsewhere?
The average here is 42% less 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX (32580). 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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