Journalist's Beginning Salary

Journalists work in many industries, including newspapers and television.

According to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, many newspaper and broadcast executives believe that the state of journalism is declining. Still others believe that journalistic values are just transferring to the Internet, rather than vanishing entirely. If you're still set on starting a career as a journalist, keep the beginning salary in mind when you look for jobs.

Average Starting Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, reporters earn $35,328 annually on average as a starting salary. This is according to statistics for recent journalism majors in July 2009. Beginning journalists often earn salaries within the 10th and 25th percentiles. Journalists in these percentiles earn from $9.60 to $12.27 hourly or $19,970 to $25,520 annually on average as of May 2010, according to the bureau.

Average Journalism Salaries

Over all experience levels, journalists earn $21.05 as a mean hourly wage. For those with an annual salary, $43,780 per year is typical over all experience levels, industries and locations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, journalists can advance to higher paying positions by moving to larger stations or newspapers to cover bigger stories.

Average Salaries by Industry

Many industries have positions for journalists, including radio, newspaper and local governments. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cable and other subscription programming is one of the highest paying industries with $28.75 hourly and $59,800 annually on average. Radio and television journalists earn $25.77 hourly and $53,590 annually. Pick one of these industries to increase your beginning salary.

Average Salary by Location

Location matters when it comes to average pay for journalists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the District of Columbia is the highest paying location in the United States with $33.45 hourly and $69,570 annually across all experience levels. New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Georgia also have high-paying opportunities for journalists.

References

• Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism; The State of Journalism; April 2010
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: News Analysts, Reporters and Correspondents Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Reporters and Correspondents Occupational Employment and Wages; May 2010
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Reporter