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The differences between video journalists 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 video journalist and a freelance photographer. Additionally, a video journalist has an average salary of $68,280, which is higher than the $42,949 average annual salary of a freelance photographer.
The top three skills for a video journalist include story development, adobe premiere and video content. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.
| Video Journalist | Freelance Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $68,280 | $42,949 |
| Hourly rate | $32.83 | $20.65 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 7,141 | 1,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Video journalists make videos conveying the news and factual stories for the audiences. Their day-to-day duties may vary but typically include editing, researching, and reporting, developing and planning live or taped video segments, and compiling data from various sources. In addition, a video journalist is responsible for verifying facts, interviewing subjects, and cultivating relationships and sources. Other duties that a video journalist might perform include on-the-spot reporting, anchoring a newscast, and producing content, and taking photos.
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.
Video journalists and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Video Journalist | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average salary | $68,280 | $42,949 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $112,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | The New York Times Company | - |
| Best paying industry | Media | - |
There are a few differences between a video journalist and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:
| Video Journalist | Freelance Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Communication | Photography |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between video journalists' and freelance photographers' demographics:
| Video Journalist | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 10% | 11% |