As of January 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Journalist in the United States is $56,762. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $47,857 to a high of $72,040, with most professionals earning between $52,101 and $64,759.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $64,759 | $5,397 | $1,245 | $31 |
| Average | $56,762 | $4,730 | $1,092 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $52,101 | $4,342 | $1,002 | $25 |
An entry-level Journalist with less than 1 year of experience earns about $54,797. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $55,626. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $57,502. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $60,227, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $60,464.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Journalist | $54,797 |
| Intermediate Level Journalist | $55,626 |
| Senior Level Journalist | $57,502 |
| Specialist Level Journalist | $60,227 |
| Expert Level Journalist | $60,464 |
| Entry Level | 3% |
| Mid Level | 2% |
| Senior Level | 1% |
| Top Level | 6% |
| Experienced | 7% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of January 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Journalist compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $67,755 in 2023 to approximately $67,552 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Journalist salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Journalist information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Journalist job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Journalist and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $56,762 | 70.6% | ||
| Bonus | $37 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $4,345 | 5.4% | ||
| 401K/403B | $2,670 | 3.3% | ||
| Disability | $454 | 0.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $6,056 | 7.5% | ||
| Pension | $3,124 | 3.9% | ||
| Time Off | $6,991 | 8.7% | ||
| Total Compensation | $80,438 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.3% |
| High School | 1.7% |
| Associates | 3.3% |
| Bachelors | 64.8% |
| Masters | 28.2% |
| Doctorate | 1.7% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Journalist is $56,762. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Journalist is $27; the average weekly pay of Journalist is $1,092; the average monthly pay of Journalist is $4,730.
A Journalist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Journalist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Journalist is $71,238.
The highest pay for Journalist is $72,040.
The lowest pay for Journalist is $47,857.
The Journalist researches a variety of news stories through interviews, observation, and library and/or online resources. Develops, investigates, and writes a variety of news stories. Being a Journalist organizes the facts and writes the story consistent with an agreed-upon style or standard. Determines tone and intended audience of story. In addition, Journalist validates news story leads. May require a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Being a Journalist occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Working as a Journalist typically requires 2-4 years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Storytelling: Planning, creating and presenting stories or narratives to achieve diverse personal and business goals.
Background Check: A background check or background investigation is a review of a potential employee's criminal, commercial and financial records. The goal of background checks is to ensure the safety and security of the employees in the organisation
Economics: Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
