Journalist
Journalist Job Description
Reporters and Correspondents Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television.
Journalist Salary Statistics as of 2015
Average annual salary for a Journalist is $34097 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest salary recorded was $68354. The lowest salary reported was $21159. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.
Median hourly wage for a Journalist is $16.96 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest hourly rate recorded was $33.99. The lowest hourly rate recorded was $10.52. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.
Bonuses for a Journalist are based on the years of experience using statistics from the U.S. as of 2015. The average bonus recorded was $0 from people with 15+ years of experience. The average bonus recorded was $250 from people with under 1 year of experience.
These are the highest paying states for a Journalist. These numbers are based of the median annual salary as of 2015.
Arizona – $22,828 – $26,611
California – $19,392 – $62,188
Florida – $21,365 – $53,062
Illinois – $22,301 – $93,701
New York – $11,400 – $73,814
Texas – $25,000 – $46,853
These are the highest paying cities for a Journalist. These numbers are based of the median annual salary as of 2015.
New York, New York –
Washington, District of Columbia –
Los Angeles, California –
Chicago, Illinois –
Miami, Florida –
San Diego, California –
Seattle, Washington –
This chart outlines the average annual salary of a Journalist from the past 5 years. In 2015 the average annual salary was $34097 while in 2007 it was just $31620.96
Requirements
All journalists are expected to have strong writing skills, and must report the news accurately and without bias. Persistence, poise, curiosity and resourcefulness are useful traits for all journalists. The hours are long and irregular; and a journalist must be able to handle the stress of constant deadlines.
Specialized Fields
News analysts report and interpret the news. Those who work in broadcasting also introduce segments by on-the-scene correspondents, who investigate and report the news in either live or taped segments. .
Print reporters investigate news tips, interview subjects and observe events. They then write news articles on what they’ve seen, without necessarily interpreting events. Photojournalists also report what they’ve seen, but do so visually.
Editors review, rewrite and edit the work of reporters and news analysts. Numerous editor positions are available in a typical news organization, including those for copy editors, who identify errors in grammar and spelling while also making sure the copy is readable; assistant editors, who are responsible for certain sections of a publication or broadcast such as sports or local news; and the executive editor, who oversees the entire news operation and has the final say in what is reported.
How To Become a Journalist
Journalists in both print and broadcast media usually are expected have at least a bachelor’s degree in journalism or mass communication, and must have previous experience working at their school newspapers or broadcast stations, or working at media internships. Competition for journalism jobs at large metropolitan and national media outlets is fierce while more opportunities are available in smaller markets.
Job Outlook
Gender Statistics |
Related Jobs |
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43%
57%
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Based on our stats gathered across the U.S. 43% of Journalists were males while 57% were females. These numbers are based on averages across all states combined. Some individual states may have a much different ratio however.
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Past Jobs Reporter, Newspaper |
Future Jobs Journalist, News |
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