How Much Does a Beat Reporter Make in California?

Updated March 01, 2025
As of March 01, 2025, the average annual pay of Beat Reporter in California is $51,254. While Salary.com is seeing that Beat Reporter salary in CA can go up to $70,374 or down to $33,483, but most earn between $41,952 and $61,262. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Beat Reporter
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Similar Job Salaries to Beat Reporter by Company

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Company average base salary in (usd) range
SportTechie
Sports Technology Beat Writer (Unpaid)
$99,198/yr
$88,699
$109,698
RANGE: $88,699 - $109,698
MediaNews Group
Reporter
$92,084/yr
$82,385
$101,784
RANGE: $82,385 - $101,784
$95,038/yr
$85,626
$104,450
RANGE: $85,626 - $104,450
$70,956/yr
$61,828
$80,084
RANGE: $61,828 - $80,084
$68,789/yr
$59,807
$77,770
RANGE: $59,807 - $77,770
Dow Jones Factiva
Enterprise Reporter
$103,049/yr
$92,195
$113,903
RANGE: $92,195 - $113,903
Sinclair Broadcast Group
Investigative Reporter
$90,817/yr
$81,420
$100,214
RANGE: $81,420 - $100,214
$110,920/yr
$99,751
$122,090
RANGE: $99,751 - $122,090
Brehm Communications
Senior Reporter
$84,554/yr
$75,993
$93,115
RANGE: $75,993 - $93,115
$76,017/yr
$65,393
$86,642
RANGE: $65,393 - $86,642

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Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Beat Reporter Jobs in California

It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States. There are some cities where a Beat Reporter can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living. Below is the top cities list for Beat Reporter job salaries in California. Some cities can pay higher salaries for Beat Reporter jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Beat Reporter positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Beat Reporter salary is higher than other cities in California. San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont. The Beat Reporter salary is $58,317 in San Jose, which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Beat Reporter salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Beat Reporter in California is $51,254, but we found that the city with the highest salary for Beat Reporter jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara. Beat Reporter jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
CITY ANNUAL SALARY MONTHLY PAY WEEKLY PAY HOURLY WAGE
San Jose $58,317 $4,860 $1,121 $28
Santa Clara $58,317 $4,860 $1,121 $28
Fremont $58,224 $4,852 $1,120 $28
San Francisco $58,084 $4,840 $1,117 $28
Daly City $58,084 $4,840 $1,117 $28
Berkeley $56,690 $4,724 $1,090 $27
Oakland $56,690 $4,724 $1,090 $27
Hayward $56,597 $4,716 $1,088 $27
Antioch $53,530 $4,461 $1,029 $26
Vallejo $52,276 $4,356 $1,005 $25

What Does a Beat Reporter Do?

Beat reporters often deal with the same sources day after day, and must return to those sources regardless of their relationship with them.
Updated October 10, 2021
Beats are able to help reporters define their roles as journalists, and also avoid overlap of stories within the newsroom.
Updated December 22, 2021
Generally, beat reporters will also build up a rapport with sources that they visit again and again, allowing for trust to build between the journalist and their source of information.
Updated December 21, 2021
Probably the hardest part of being a beat reporter is staying on top of things and dealing with sources you have to return to every day even if you’ve written a story they don’t like.
Updated December 20, 2021
The job of the beat reporter in this field is to remind people about what’s cooking in the local restaurants or any new opening of the outlets of famous restaurants.
Updated December 20, 2021

Frequently Asked Questions About a Beat Reporter Salaries

What is the average of a Beat Reporter in California?

The Beat Reporter salary range is from $41,952 to $61,262, and the average Beat Reporter salary is $51,254/year in California. The Beat Reporter's salary will change in different locations.

Which location pays the highest Beat Reporter salary in the United States?

The Beat Reporter salary in San Jose, CA is $58,317 which is the highest in the US.

What kinds of reasons will influence the Beat Reporter's salary?

Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary. Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Beat Reporter.

What is the growth rate of the Beat Reporter's salary?

If you are thinking of becoming a Beat Reporter or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Beat Reporter.