Reporter Salary in the United States

How much does a Reporter make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Reporter in the United States is $61,820 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, a Reporter's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,543
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,341 to $69,003
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,353
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View as table View as graph 25% $56,341 10% $51,353 90% $75,543 75% $69,003 $61,820 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Reporter Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $69,003 $5,750 $1,327 $33
Average $61,820 $5,152 $1,189 $30
25th Percentile $56,341 $4,695 $1,083 $27
Check out Reporter Job Openings in the United States
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Target Analyst Reporter

FUSE Engineering - FORT MEADE, MD

Target Analyst Reporter

Markesman Group - FORT MEADE, MD

Search More Reporter Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Reporter Salaries

A Reporter's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Reporter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Reporter's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,021
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $61,002
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $62,892
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $65,358
  • Expert (over 8 years): $65,572
Levels Salary
Entry Level Reporter$60,021
Intermediate Level Reporter$61,002
Senior Level Reporter$62,892
Specialist Level Reporter$65,358
Expert Level Reporter$65,572
$60,021 0 yr
$61,002 < 2 yrs
$62,892 2-4 yrs
$65,358 5-8 yrs
$65,572 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Reporters

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $77,974
  • San Francisco: $77,207
  • Oakland: $75,495

What Skills Can Increase a Reporter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Storytelling (Mentioned in 6.56% Job Postings): Planning, creating and presenting stories or narratives to achieve diverse personal and business goals.
  • News Reporting (Mentioned in 3.78% Job Postings): News reporting involves discovering all relevant facts, selecting and presenting the important facts and weaving a comprehensive story. Reporting involves hard work, which in turn involves stamina and patience. The main function of journalistic profession is news reporting.
  • Public Relations (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): Public relations (PR) is the practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) and the public. Public relations may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. This differentiates it from advertising as a form of marketing communications. Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. But now, advertising is also a part of greater PR Activities. An example of good public relations would be generating an article featuring a client, rather than paying for the client to be advertised next to the article. The aim of public relations is to inform the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a positive or favorable view about the organization, its leadership, products, or political decisions. Public relations professionals typically work for PR and marketing firms, businesses and companies, government, and public officials as PIOs and nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Jobs central to public relations include account coordinator, account executive, account supervisor, and media relations manager.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Storytelling 6.56%
News Reporting 3.78%
Public Relations 1.98%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Reporter's salary.
  • Media Relations: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Public Relations: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Media Relations
$74,184
20%
Insight
$68,002
10%
Public Relations
$67,384
9%
Analysis
$66,766
8%
Verbal Communication
$65,529
6%
Collaboration
$64,911
5%
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How Education impacts a Reporter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Reporters enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Reporter with a No Diploma is between $53,494 and $56,188).

Reporter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Reporter
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%
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Reporter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Reporter's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Reporter Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Reporter, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Digital Content Writer III role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $90,149 - a projected growth of 46% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Reporter

Salaries for a Reporter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $67,755 in 2023 to around $67,261 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Reporter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Reporter Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$67,755
2024
$67,552
2025
$67,261
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $67,755
2024 $67,552
2025 $67,261
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Reporter

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Reporter

Here are companies hiring for Reporter and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Reporter Job

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FAQ about Reporter

1. Where can a Reporter earn the most?

A Reporter'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 Reporter earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Reporter is $77,974.

2. What is the highest pay for Reporter?

The highest pay for Reporter is $75,543.

3. What is the lowest pay for Reporter?

The lowest pay for Reporter is $51,353.

4. What are the responsibilities of Reporter?

Develops, investigates, and writes a variety of news stories. Researches a variety of news stories through interviews, observation, and library and/or online resources. Determines tone and intended audience of story. Organizes the facts and writes the story consistent with an agreed-upon style or standard. Validates news story leads. May require a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Typically requires 2-4 years of related experience.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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.

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