Photographers pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,390 or more. The middle half of photographers in Madison earn between $37,380 and $57,260.
- $34K10th
- $37K25th
- $43KMedian
- $57K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $48,170 | $4,014 | $23.16 |
| Median | $43,040 | $3,587 | $20.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,380 | $3,115 | $17.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $57,260 | $4,772 | $27.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Photographers salary after taxes in Madison
On the average salary of $48,170, a single filer in Madison takes home about $39,398 a year, or $3,283 a month and $1,515 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 (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for photographers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $48,170 buys what about $49,513 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 9.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Photographers salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 4th of 4 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; La Crosse pays the most ($54,150).
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 Madison: questions
How much do photographers make an hour in Madison?
$23.16 an hour on average, and $20.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level photographers salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,380, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the photographers take-home pay in Madison?
About $39,398 a year ($3,283 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $48,170.
Do photographers earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 Madison, WI (31540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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