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The differences between news photographers and freelance photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a news photographer and a freelance photographer. Additionally, a news photographer has an average salary of $76,014, which is higher than the $42,949 average annual salary of a freelance photographer.
The top three skills for a news photographer include HD, video cameras and general assignment. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.
| News Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,014 | $42,949 |
| Hourly rate | $36.55 | $20.65 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 7,850 | 1,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A news photographer is responsible for capturing images and videos ranging from small occasions and conferences to critical society events, ensuring the accurate snapshots of all details for reports and publishing purposes. Aside from having excellent photography skills, a news photographer should also have outstanding communication and technical skills, especially in editing photos through software programs and applications. A news photographer usually works out in the field, depending on the assigned area by the management or as the business requires.
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.
News photographers and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| News Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average salary | $76,014 | $42,949 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $329,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a news photographer and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:
| News Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Communication | Photography |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between news photographers' and freelance photographers' demographics:
| News Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.0% 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 | 11% | 11% |