As of August 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Photojournalist in the US is $51,101, equivalent to $25 per hour, $983 weekly, or $4,258 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Photojournalist in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Photojournalist in the US vary widely, spanning from $44,687 to $63,606. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($47,744) and 75th percentile ($57,646), while top earners (90th percentile) make $63,606 per year. This $9,902 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Customer Service or Early Childhood Education, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Photojournalist often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 17 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Photojournalist Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Photojournalist Salary $44,687 US August 01, 2026
25th Percentile Photojournalist Salary $47,744 US August 01, 2026
50th Percentile Photojournalist Salary $51,101 US August 01, 2026
75th Percentile Photojournalist Salary $57,646 US August 01, 2026
90th Percentile Photojournalist Salary $63,606 US August 01, 2026
25% $47,744 10% $44,687 90% $63,606 75% $57,646 $51,101 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
Change Search Criteria

What is a Photojournalist ?

Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that employs images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (e.g., documentary photography, social documentary photography, street photography or celebrity photography) by complying with a rigid ethical framework which demands that the work be both honest a...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/25/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Photojournalist.

Job Openings for Photojournalist

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Photojournalist

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Photographer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Photojournalist, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
47744
57646
51101

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
47981
59441
56111
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Photojournalist in the United States. The base salary for Photojournalist ranges from $47,744 to $57,646 with the average base salary of $51,101. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $47,981 to $59,441 with the average total cash compensation of $56,111.
Similar Job Titles:

Discover how your pay is adjusted for skills, experience, and other factors

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

47744
57646

 

Jobs with a similar salary range to Photojournalist : Junior Photographer, Freelance Wedding Photographer, Product Photographer