Photographers pay range in Fort Collins
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,200 or more. The middle half of photographers in Fort Collins earn between $39,560 and $72,850.
- $37K10th
- $40K25th
- $63KMedian
- $73K75th
- $92K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $68,280 | $5,690 | $32.83 |
| Median | $62,550 | $5,212 | $30.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,560 | $3,297 | $19.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $72,850 | $6,071 | $35.02 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Photographers pay in Fort Collins vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Photographers in Fort Collins earn 17% more than the Colorado average ($58,170) and 23% more than the U.S. average ($55,410). At the median the gap is +40% against the U.S. median of $44,660.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins | $68,280 | $62,550 | $37,450 | $92,200 | 70 |
| 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 Fort Collins
On the average salary of $68,280, a single filer in Fort Collins takes home about $54,569 a year, or $4,547 a month and $2,099 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 Fort Collins a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fort Collins area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.1), so the average $68,280 buys what about $67,518 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Collins ($55,310). A typical home costs $556,500, or 8.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Colorado cities
Fort Collins ranks 1st of 5 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Photographers salary in Fort Collins: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Fort Collins?
$32.83 an hour on average, and $30.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Fort Collins?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Fort Collins?
About $54,569 a year ($4,547 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,280. 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 Fort Collins than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO (22660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.7%.
- 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 1.18, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.