Capture and edit photographic images for commercial, editorial, or artistic purposes. Median salary in Nashville: $48K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Nashville, Tennessee. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Photographers in Nashville earn approximately 4% higher than the US national median for this role — a $2,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Nashville's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Tennessee has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $4,464 per year at this salary level compared to a California Photographer on the same gross pay. A Nashville Photographer would need to earn $52,922 in California to net the same take-home.
Average 1-bedroom rent in Nashville ($1,700/mo) consumes approximately 60% of an after-tax median Photographer salary. Financial planners typically recommend keeping housing under 30% of take-home — a salary at the 75th percentile ($71K) brings that ratio into a more comfortable range here.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $48K by 2030.
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The median Photographer salary in Nashville, TN is $48,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Nashville–TN metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Photographers in Nashville with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $34,000 and $48,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $48,000 to $71,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $71,000 to $105,000 or more.
Nashville has a cost of living index of 102 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Nashville are close to the national average. Crucially, Tennessee has no state income tax — giving Nashville-based Photographers an immediate 3–5% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in Photography or Fine Arts; portfolio required. 45% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.