The Average Starting Salary of a Journalist
Journalism is one of the most respected fields of communication in the United States. It was considered so important by the founding fathers that they established in the First Amendment to the Constitution the prohibition against Congress making any law that infringes on the freedom of the press. Journalists may work for a variety of print, broadcast or electronic media outlets. They observe events, gather information, interview sources, organize facts and draw conclusions as they write their articles. Income levels for journalists can vary widely.
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Training
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The most important skills for a journalist involve writing and communication. Many employers prefer to hire journalists who have formal training in these skills. Formal training may include a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree with a major in journalism or mass communication. Course work for these degrees typically involves studies in English, composition and grammar. Additional classes in a wide range of the liberal arts, such as history, political science, speech, statistics and foreign languages are also common.
Income
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The median annual wage for journalists in the United States ranged from less than $19,650 to more than $74,700 as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual wage for all journalists was $34,360 with a median hourly rate of $16.52.
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Time Frame
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A journalist's experience level can have a significant impact on her income, according to PayScale.com. Journalists who are just starting out averaged between $27,000 and $40,000 during their first year as of December 2010. Those with more than five years on the job averaged between $30,521 and $51,352. Journalists with more than 20 years of experience averaged up to $77,000 per year.
Types
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Newspapers and periodicals offer the greatest number of job opportunities for journalists, according to the BLS. The BLS notes that competition for positions with major periodicals is keen, and greater opportunities can be found at smaller, regional publications. The annual mean wage for journalists in this industry was $39,120 as of May 2009. Journalists working in other information services experienced the highest average pay rate with a mean annual wage of $69,220.
Considerations
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Employment opportunities for journalists are expected to decline by around 6 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the BLS. Competition for existing positions is expected to be fierce, particularly in major markets. Candidates who have specialized training and knowledge in such fields as politics, medicine, technology and economics should have an advantage.
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References
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