Journalist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level journalist earnings begin at:

$22.10 per hour

$45,970 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level journalist earnings begin at:

$17.46 per hour

$36,330 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level journalist earnings begin at:

$14.40 per hour

$29,950 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level journalist earnings begin at:

$12.65 per hour

$26,310 per year

10th percentile

Starting level journalist earnings begin at:

$10.86 per hour

$22,580 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Journalist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New York $81,930
New Jersey $52,560
Louisiana $50,070
California $49,180
Illinois $48,097
Kentucky $47,905
Washington $46,310
Florida $45,480
Indiana $45,473
Kansas $45,305
Georgia $45,140
Massachusetts $44,060
Maryland $43,320
Hawaii $43,250
Puerto Rico $42,250
Alaska $41,945
Colorado $41,630
Nevada $41,270
Arizona $41,146
Utah $40,960
Pennsylvania $39,600
Virginia $39,520
Maine $39,290
Delaware $38,970
Minnesota $38,110
Missouri $37,980
New Hampshire $37,420
New Mexico $37,420
Michigan $36,890
Texas $36,610
Connecticut $35,920
Rhode Island $35,800
North Dakota $35,750
South Carolina $35,220
Vermont $35,200
Oklahoma $34,980
Ohio $34,430
Idaho $34,390
Nebraska $34,060
North Carolina $33,990
Oregon $33,590
West Virginia $32,030
Iowa $31,145
Wisconsin $31,020
South Dakota $29,950
Wyoming $29,410
Tennessee $29,200
Alabama $29,164
Mississippi $28,010
Arkansas $27,378
Guam $25,590
Montana $24,090
District of Columbia $100,550

How do journalist salaries compare to similar careers?

Journalists earn 24% less than similar careers in South Dakota. On average, they make less than copywriters but more than sports writers.

Career Median Salary
Copywriter salary $43K
Writer salary $43K
Television writer salary $43K
Editor salary $46K
Journalist salary $30K
Sports writer salary $24K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)