Photographers pay range in Pittsburgh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,340 or more. The middle half of photographers in Pittsburgh earn between $33,080 and $62,620.
- $25K10th
- $33K25th
- $43KMedian
- $63K75th
- $75K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,190 | $4,349 | $25.09 |
| Median | $42,530 | $3,544 | $20.45 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,080 | $2,757 | $15.90 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,620 | $5,218 | $30.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Photographers salary after taxes in Pittsburgh
On the average salary of $52,190, a single filer in Pittsburgh takes home about $42,512 a year, or $3,543 a month and $1,635 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Pittsburgh a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Pittsburgh area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 94.7), so the average $52,190 buys what about $55,128 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Pittsburgh ($49,650). A typical home costs $231,356, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Pittsburgh ranks 2nd of 9 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($52,490).
- Philadelphia$52,490
- Pittsburgh$52,190
- York$50,010
- Scranton$49,000
- Reading$45,380
- Lancaster$43,830
- Harrisburg$43,610
- Allentown$43,070
- Chambersburg$37,270
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
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Photographers salary in Pittsburgh: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Pittsburgh?
$25.09 an hour on average, and $20.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Pittsburgh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Pittsburgh?
About $42,512 a year ($3,543 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,190. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do photographers earn more in Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh, PA (38300). 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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