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Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film vs News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: what changes?

Consider Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film if you want to operate television, video, or film camera to record images or scenes for television, video, or film productions. Consider News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists if you would rather narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film and News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

National median pay (2025)
$74,990
Route into the job
Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Compose and frame each shot, applying the technical aspects of light, lenses, film, filters, and camera settings to achieve the effects sought by directors.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
2,500
Know before you choose

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

See the full Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film brief

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

National median pay (2025)
$62,200
Route into the job
Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
3,400
Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on projected growth

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is at 1.3% projected growth, compared with -5.9% projected growth for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists.

2

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film has the edge on median pay

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film is at $74,990, compared with $62,200 for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists.

3

Typical preparation differs.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: Bachelor's degree News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: Bachelor's degree Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

4

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists has the edge on annual openings

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists is at 3,400 annual openings, compared with 2,500 annual openings for Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film.

46.8/ 100

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

vs
35.2/ 100

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film vs News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

DimensionCamera Operators, Television, Video, and FilmNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
Median pay (2025)$74,990$62,200
Pay percentile65 percentile51.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)1.3%-5.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)2,5003,400
2025 employment32,60047,100
How you qualifyBachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 4
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingBLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film briefRead News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists brief

Try another comparison

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film vs Film and Video Editors

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
$74,990 · 1.3% growth
Film and Video Editors
$75,420 · 3.7% growth
Compare careers →

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film vs Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
$74,990 · 1.3% growth
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
$47,340 · -7.6% growth
Compare careers →

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists vs Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
$62,200 · -5.9% growth
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
$47,340 · -7.6% growth
Compare careers →
ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.