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The differences between digital media producers and freelance photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a digital media producer, becoming a freelance photographer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a digital media producer has an average salary of $54,073, which is higher than the $42,949 average annual salary of a freelance photographer.
The top three skills for a digital media producer include video production, facebook and twitter. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.
| Digital Media Producer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,073 | $42,949 |
| Hourly rate | $26.00 | $20.65 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 33,263 | 1,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Digital media producers are professionals who are responsible for coordinating and managing the creation of digital content that can be viewed and distributed through electronic devices. These producers are required to collaborate with clients to produce creative digital media such as video production, photography, and web design. They hire artists and technicians to create several promotional graphic designs. They must also maintain and manage the social media accounts of an organization such as YouTube, Myspace, and Fancast to increase user engagement.
A freelance photographer produces photos while under a specific short-term contract. They are primarily responsible for coordinating with the client to learn any requests or preferences, bringing necessary devices and lighting equipment, securing the best location and setting, handling any obstruction during the photoshoot, and delivering high-quality results in a short amount of time. Moreover, a photographer must maintain a healthy working environment with clients or models by building rapport, which will also help establish a client base.
Digital media producers and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Media Producer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average salary | $54,073 | $42,949 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Luis Obispo, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | NBCUniversal | - |
| Best paying industry | Media | - |
There are a few differences between a digital media producer and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:
| Digital Media Producer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Communication | Photography |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between digital media producers' and freelance photographers' demographics:
| Digital Media Producer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 11% |