In United States of America, published freelance rates for a photographer are $500 an 8-hour day.
Freelance
$500 an 8-hour day
Sources
3 documents
What photographer work in United States of America pays, according to the documents that set rates there, each quoted as printed. How the pay guide works →
What the published rates say
Day
The New York Times day rateSurvey
$450
Day rate at The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street JournalSurvey
$400–$500
Day of 8 hours
Photo essay, 8-hour day rateNWU · Publisher’s rates
$500
Mile
Mileage in own carDiversify Photo · Recommended rates
$0.56
Each published rate as a day's pay
Freelance · 2 figures
$400–$500 a day
$500 an 8-hour day
US$ a day at the ECB rate for the month. A month is 12 payments over 260 working days, or 13 or 14 where the agreement says so; a year is 260 days; a shift counts as a day.
| Type of work | What | As printed | US$ a day | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance | Day rate at The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal | $400–$500 a day | $449.99 | Survey |
| Freelance | Photo essay, 8-hour day rate | $500 an 8-hour day | $500 | NWU · Publisher’s rates |
Every figure, as printed
Open a row for the wording in the document and its dates.
Printed
a base 8-hour minimum day rate of $500 for photo essaysDocumentThe Nation freelancer agreement (negotiated with the NWU), last updated May 2025 · Publisher’s rates StatusIn force
Printed
Current standard rate in the US is 56 cents per mile.DocumentDiversify Photo pay equity benchmarks for editorial photographers, 2026 · Recommended rates StatusIn force
Printed
day rates that range from $400 and $500DocumentDay rates paid to freelance photojournalists by US national newspapers, 2024 survey · Survey StatusIn force
Printed
The New York Times pays $450 for a day rateDocumentDay rates paid to freelance photojournalists by US national newspapers, 2024 survey · Survey StatusIn force
Printed
$850.00 plus expenses against spaceDocumentBusiness Week freelance photographer contract terms, May 2000 · Publisher’s rates StatusReplaced or expired · 1 May 2000
Printed
The rate to shoot a cover will be $2500.00 plus expensesDocumentBusiness Week freelance photographer contract terms, May 2000 · Publisher’s rates StatusReplaced or expired · 1 May 2000
Printed
Full page $1200.00DocumentBusiness Week freelance photographer contract terms, May 2000 · Publisher’s rates StatusReplaced or expired · 1 May 2000
Printed
Cover Rate $3000.00DocumentBusiness Week freelance photographer contract terms, May 2000 · Publisher’s rates StatusReplaced or expired · 1 May 2000
Printed
The Washington Post's day rate is $350.DocumentWhat US outlets pay freelance photographers: CJR reported day rates, Apr 2017 · Survey StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
increased its day rate to $450, from $200DocumentWhat US outlets pay freelance photographers: CJR reported day rates, Apr 2017 · Survey StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
pays $400 per day for assignmentsDocumentWhat US outlets pay freelance photographers: CJR reported day rates, Apr 2017 · Survey StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
CNN pays a day rate of $650, plus $150 for post-production editingDocumentWhat US outlets pay freelance photographers: CJR reported day rates, Apr 2017 · Survey StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
day rates in the range of $500 to $650DocumentWhat US outlets pay freelance photographers: CJR reported day rates, Apr 2017 · Survey StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
DAY RATE – 750.00 per shoot day, for up to 9 consecutive hoursDocumentSample US magazine photo assignment terms (day rate against space), May 2010 · Recommended rates StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
750.00/picture up to full pageDocumentSample US magazine photo assignment terms (day rate against space), May 2010 · Recommended rates StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
1500.00 for full coverDocumentSample US magazine photo assignment terms (day rate against space), May 2010 · Recommended rates StatusReplaced or expired
Printed
assistants (250.00/day)DocumentSample US magazine photo assignment terms (day rate against space), May 2010 · Recommended rates StatusReplaced or expired
Questions people ask
In United States of America, published freelance rates for a photographer are $500 an 8-hour day.
Diversify Photo, NWU, in 6 documents.
A photographer's minimum nearby
Lowest staff minimum in each country's agreements, as US$ a day.
About this data. These rates are compiled from publicly available sources and quoted as printed, with their date. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any figure. For information only: Journalist.net does not recommend or set rates. How we count