Photographers pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,860 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,980 or more. The middle half of photographers in Modesto earn between $38,710 and $52,960.
- $36K10th
- $39K25th
- $44KMedian
- $53K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,140 | $4,345 | $25.07 |
| Median | $44,240 | $3,687 | $21.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,710 | $3,226 | $18.61 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $52,960 | $4,413 | $25.46 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Photographers salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $52,140, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $42,754 a year, or $3,563 a month and $1,644 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $52,140 buys what about $50,083 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 12th of 15 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($83,790).
- San Francisco$83,790
- San Jose$75,490
- Los Angeles$73,520
- Santa Rosa$72,250
- Santa Maria$72,200
- San Diego$60,580
- San Luis Obispo$59,300
- Oxnard$56,670
- Bakersfield$56,240
- Modesto$52,140
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 Modesto: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Modesto?
$25.07 an hour on average, and $21.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,860 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,710, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Modesto?
About $42,754 a year ($3,563 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,140. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do photographers earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($56,592).
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 Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.4%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- 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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