Photographers pay range in Rockford
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,380 or more. The middle half of photographers in Rockford earn between $31,200 and $41,470.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $36KMedian
- $41K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,290 | $3,441 | $19.85 |
| Median | $36,360 | $3,030 | $17.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,470 | $3,456 | $19.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Photographers salary after taxes in Rockford
On the average salary of $41,290, a single filer in Rockford takes home about $33,454 a year, or $2,788 a month and $1,287 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 (2025 rules).
Is Rockford a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rockford area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $41,290 buys what about $44,805 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Rockford ($47,120). A typical home costs $221,368, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Illinois cities
Rockford ranks 2nd of 3 Illinois metro areas for this job; Chicago pays the most ($52,040).
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 Rockford: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Rockford?
$19.85 an hour on average, and $17.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Rockford?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Rockford?
About $33,454 a year ($2,788 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,290.
Do photographers earn more in Rockford than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% 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 Rockford, IL (40420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.3%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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