SOC 27-3023 · May 2025
Journalist Salary
Journalists in the US earn a median of $62,200 a year ($49.26 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Journalist pay climbed from $62,400 in 2019 to $102,460 in 2025, a +64.2% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$62,200
Half of all Journalists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+64.2% since 2019 · -3.4% YoY
Hourly
$49.26
Job growth 2025-35
-5.9%
US workers
39,250
BLS series
Annual median wage for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Journalists is $36,240 – $144,140.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$36,240
25th
$45,370
Median
$62,200
75th
$98,450
90th
$144,140
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Journalists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $36,240 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $45,370 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $62,200 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $98,450 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $144,140 |
Geography
Journalist pay by state
Journalists earn the most in D.C. ($105,390, +69% against the national median) and the least in West Virginia ($35,280). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 48 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$62,200
Highest-paying states for journalists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $105,390 | +69% | 1,720 |
| New York | $100,770 | +62% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $81,910 | +32% | 1,520 |
| Nevada | $78,550 | +26% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $74,570 | +20% | 150 |
| Maryland | $63,680 | +2% | 580 |
| Michigan | $62,760 | +1% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $62,390 | +0% | 600 |
| Virginia | $62,140 | -0% | 1,110 |
| Utah | $61,880 | -1% | 240 |
All 48 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $105,390 | 1,720 |
| New York | $100,770 | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $81,910 | 1,520 |
| Nevada | $78,550 | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $74,570 | 150 |
| Maryland | $63,680 | 580 |
| Michigan | $62,760 | 960 |
| Tennessee | $62,390 | 600 |
| Virginia | $62,140 | 1,110 |
| Utah | $61,880 | 240 |
| Connecticut | $61,620 | 470 |
| Colorado | $60,770 | 590 |
| Illinois | $60,590 | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $59,830 | 500 |
| Florida | $58,730 | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $58,670 | 930 |
| Wisconsin | $57,530 | 740 |
| Hawaii | $56,730 | 120 |
| Delaware | $55,600 | 70 |
| Washington | $54,760 | 880 |
| New Mexico | $54,610 | 170 |
| Idaho | $51,190 | 220 |
| Louisiana | $50,750 | 410 |
| Maine | $50,090 | 250 |
| Oregon | $49,200 | 410 |
| Texas | $48,470 | 2,670 |
| New Hampshire | $48,450 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $48,210 | 400 |
| Montana | $47,960 | 290 |
| South Carolina | $47,940 | 480 |
| Ohio | $47,880 | 1,340 |
| Indiana | $47,610 | 530 |
| Kentucky | $47,530 | 370 |
| Vermont | $46,970 | 90 |
| Missouri | $46,920 | 480 |
| Minnesota | $46,490 | 510 |
| Kansas | $45,870 | 400 |
| Mississippi | $45,240 | 310 |
| Alaska | $43,820 | 90 |
| Iowa | $43,540 | 590 |
| South Dakota | $43,520 | 190 |
| Alabama | $43,440 | 530 |
| North Dakota | $43,420 | 160 |
| Arizona | $43,100 | 450 |
| Nebraska | $40,420 | 350 |
| Arkansas | $37,450 | 260 |
| Wyoming | $36,040 | 80 |
| West Virginia | $35,280 | 190 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Journalists
News analysts, reporters, and journalists (BLS SOC 27-3023) collect information, write stories, and report news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio. Most positions require a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field. Pay varies sharply by employer type: major national outlets and broadcast news pay above the OEWS median; local and regional newspapers typically fall below.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $36,240 – $144,140. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., New York and Georgia. Pay in D.C. runs 3.0 times the level in West Virginia, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as bachelor's degree, and projects about 3,400 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to shrink 5.9% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Journalist salary in the US?
How much does a Journalist make an hour?
How much do Journalists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Journalists the most?
Is the average Journalist salary higher than the median?
Is Journalist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Journalist roles hiring now
Browse current Journalist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 27-3023. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.