Photographers pay range in Dayton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,830 or more. The middle half of photographers in Dayton earn between $30,510 and $49,660.
- $23K10th
- $31K25th
- $37KMedian
- $50K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,110 | $3,592 | $20.73 |
| Median | $36,790 | $3,066 | $17.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,510 | $2,542 | $14.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,660 | $4,138 | $23.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Photographers salary after taxes in Dayton
On the average salary of $43,110, a single filer in Dayton takes home about $34,998 a year, or $2,916 a month and $1,346 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). Includes Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Dayton a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dayton area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $43,110 buys what about $46,508 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Dayton ($49,980). A typical home costs $186,200, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Ohio cities
Dayton ranks 7th of 7 Ohio metro areas for this job; Columbus pays the most ($50,470).
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 Dayton: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Dayton?
$20.72 an hour on average, and $17.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Dayton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Dayton?
About $34,998 a year ($2,916 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,110. Includes Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do photographers earn more in Dayton than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% 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 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH (19430). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Census median home value (Zillow does not cover this metro). 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). Includes Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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