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Reporter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$62,200median pay per year, or $29.91 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,37025th percentile
  3. $62,200median
  4. $98,45075th percentile
  5. $144,140top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists was $62,200 a year, above the median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-5.9%[3]
Openings per year
3,400[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do reporters make?

The median wage for news analysts, reporters, and journalists was $62,200 a year, or $29.91 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[2].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,240 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $45,370[4]. The top 25% earned more than $98,450, and the top 10% earned more than $144,140[4]. In hourly terms, those same marks were $17.42, $21.81, $47.33 and $69.30[7].

The average (mean) wage was $102,460 a year, or $49.26 an hour[8]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary, so these numbers do not tell you what a new reporter earns[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full and part time. They leave out self-employed people, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 16.8% of people in this occupation were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

By median annual wage, the District of Columbia came first at $105,390, followed by New York at $100,770, Georgia at $81,910, Nevada at $78,550 and Rhode Island at $74,570[12]. West Virginia had the lowest published state median at $35,280, just below Wyoming at $36,040[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in New York-Newark-Jersey City at $101,670 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria at $101,020[13]. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell came third at $85,040[13].

New York had the most jobs, 5,750, followed by California with 4,140, Texas with 2,670, Florida with 2,490 and the District of Columbia with 1,720[14]. The metro areas with the most jobs were New York-Newark-Jersey City with 5,360 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria with 2,390[15].

Show median pay in 47 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$105,3901,720
New York$100,7705,750
Georgia$81,9101,520
Nevada$78,550370
Rhode Island$74,570150
Maryland$63,680580
Michigan$62,760960
Tennessee$62,390600
Virginia$62,1401,110
Utah$61,880240
Connecticut$61,620470
Colorado$60,770590
Illinois$60,5901,060
New Jersey$59,830500
Florida$58,7302,490
North Carolina$58,670930
Wisconsin$57,530740
Hawaii$56,730120
Delaware$55,60070
Washington$54,760880
New Mexico$54,610170
Idaho$51,190220
Louisiana$50,750410
Maine$50,090250
Oregon$49,200410
Texas$48,4702,670
New Hampshire$48,45090
Oklahoma$48,210400
Montana$47,960290
South Carolina$47,940480
Ohio$47,8801,340
Indiana$47,610530
Kentucky$47,530370
Vermont$46,97090
Missouri$46,920480
Minnesota$46,490510
Kansas$45,870400
Mississippi$45,240310
Alaska$43,82090
Iowa$43,540590
South Dakota$43,520190
Alabama$43,440530
North Dakota$43,420160
Arizona$43,100450
Nebraska$40,420350
Arkansas$37,450260
Wyoming$36,04080
West Virginia$35,280190

How to become a reporter

The typical entry path has one firm requirement, a bachelor's degree. No related work experience and no on-the-job training are listed as typical[6].

Journalism and communications programs include courses on ethics and on researching and interviewing[18]. Courses in multimedia design, coding and programming can help with video, audio, data and graphics content[19]. Commentators who come from outside journalism typically have expertise in the subjects they discuss[20].

Skills that matter include clear communication and strong writing, relationship building, persistence, stamina and comfort with editing equipment and publishing software[21][22][23][24][25]. O*NET places this job in Job Zone Four, which means considerable preparation is needed[26].

With experience, a local field reporter may become the station's anchor, move to a news organization in a larger city, or become an editor or news director[27].

What reporters do

O*NET describes the work as telling or writing news stories, reviews or commentary for newspapers, broadcast and other media[28]. Common tasks include:

Sample job titles workers reported include reporter, journalist, news anchor and staff writer[30].

Where they work

Newspaper publishers were the largest employer group in 2025, at 28% of jobs[31]. Reporters spend a lot of time in the field on interviews and investigations. They also spend some time in an office or newsroom, often travel to events and contacts, and can file stories remotely[32].

Full-time work is the usual pattern, and schedules vary[33]. Breaking news can mean extra hours, nights and weekends[33]. The work is often fast paced and tiring, and deadlines and breaking stories bring pressure[24][34]. Some stories, such as conflicts and natural disasters, can put reporters in dangerous situations[34].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of news analysts, reporters, and journalists to decline 5.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 47,100 to 44,300 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[35]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the 39,250 wage and salary jobs in the May 2025 pay data[3][36].

Even so, about 3,400 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when people leave, not only new positions[5]. Each year, 3.2% of workers leave the labor force and 4.8% move to a different occupation[37].

Some related jobs with a bachelor's degree entry path are also projected to decline, among them editors at -1.1% and writers and authors at -0.3%[38]. Producers and directors are projected to grow 4%[38].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with a four-year degree requirement and a median wage above the all-occupations median[6][1][2]. Pay varies widely, from $36,240 at the 10th percentile to $144,140 at the 90th[4]. Location matters too, because the District of Columbia and New York had the highest state medians[12]. Employment is projected to fall, though thousands of openings are still expected each year[3][5]. The work involves irregular hours and deadline pressure[24][34][33].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[38].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a reporter make a year?
The median for news analysts, reporters, and journalists was $62,200 a year, or $29.91 an hour, in May 2025[1].
What degree do you need to be a reporter?
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement[6]. Typical majors include journalism, communications or a related subject such as English[16].
Is reporter a growing field?
No. Employment is projected to decline 5.9% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][35]. About 3,400 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for reporters?
The District of Columbia had the highest median at $105,390, followed by New York at $100,770[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in the US was $62,200 per year and $29.91 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists is projected to decline 5.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 47,100 to 44,300 jobs (a change of -2,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: 10th percentile $36,240, 25th percentile $45,370, 75th percentile $98,450, 90th percentile $144,140. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 3,400 openings for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: 10th percentile $17.42, 25th percentile $21.81, 75th percentile $47.33, 90th percentile $69.30. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists was $102,460 per year and $49.26 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 16.8% of News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $101,670; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $101,020; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $85,040; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $81,640; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $80,000; Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $79,760; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $77,180; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $76,450. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists jobs: New York 5,750; California 4,140; Texas 2,670; Florida 2,490; District of Columbia 1,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,360 (median $101,670); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,390 (median $101,020); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,690; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,090 (median $85,040); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,050; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 840 (median $65,610). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. O*NET 27-3023.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. O*NET description of News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET task list for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists. O*NET OnLine
  30. O*NET 27-3023.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Anchor, Journalist, Multimedia Journalist, News Anchor, News Reporter, Reporter, Staff Writer, TV News Anchor (Television News Anchor). O*NET OnLine
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of news analysts, reporters, and journalists in 2025: Newspaper publishers 28%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 39,250 people were employed as News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  37. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: 3.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  38. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.