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How Much Does a Journalist Make?
A journalist in the US earns a median salary of $62,200 a year, or $29.91 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $102,460, and the middle half earn between $45,370 and $98,450.
Journalist pay range
What journalists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $36,240 | $17.42 | |
| 25th | $45,370 | $21.81 | |
| Median (50th) | $62,200 | $29.91 | |
| 75th | $98,450 | $47.33 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $144,140 | $69.30 |
The median is 22% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 39,250 people work as journalists in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $1,196
- Every two weeks
- $2,392
- Twice a month
- $2,592
- A month
- $5,183
At the median salary, before tax.
Journalist salary by state
Sorted by average pay. New York pays journalists the most, at $251,110 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $251,110 | $100,770 | 5,750 | After tax |
| District of Columbia | $174,360 | $105,390 | 1,720 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $105,770 | $61,620 | 470 | After tax |
| Illinois | $87,560 | $60,590 | 1,060 | After tax |
| Georgia | $87,210 | $81,910 | 1,520 | After tax |
| Nevada | $83,550 | $78,550 | 370 | After tax |
| Michigan | $81,950 | $62,760 | 960 | After tax |
| Maryland | $77,570 | $63,680 | 580 | After tax |
| Utah | $77,340 | $61,880 | 240 | After tax |
| Virginia | $76,820 | $62,140 | 1,110 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $73,280 | $56,730 | 120 | After tax |
| Delaware | $73,160 | $55,600 | 70 | After tax |
| Florida | $72,580 | $58,730 | 2,490 | After tax |
| Washington | $71,610 | $54,760 | 880 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $71,530 | $74,570 | 150 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $70,270 | $62,390 | 600 | After tax |
| Colorado | $68,760 | $60,770 | 590 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $68,580 | $59,830 | 500 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $65,010 | $58,670 | 930 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $64,650 | $54,610 | 170 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $63,920 | $50,750 | 410 | After tax |
| Texas | $63,390 | $48,470 | 2,670 | After tax |
| Indiana | $63,130 | $47,610 | 530 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $62,340 | $47,530 | 370 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $62,050 | $57,530 | 740 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $61,420 | $47,940 | 480 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $60,420 | $48,210 | 400 | After tax |
| Ohio | $59,660 | $47,880 | 1,340 | After tax |
| Oregon | $57,560 | $49,200 | 410 | After tax |
| Idaho | $57,450 | $51,190 | 220 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $56,770 | $48,450 | 90 | After tax |
| Missouri | $56,580 | $46,920 | 480 | After tax |
| Alaska | $55,900 | $43,820 | 90 | After tax |
| Kansas | $55,810 | $45,870 | 400 | After tax |
| Puerto Rico | $55,790 | $44,870 | 220 | |
| Arizona | $55,680 | $43,100 | 450 | After tax |
| Maine | $54,840 | $50,090 | 250 | After tax |
| Vermont | $54,200 | $46,970 | 90 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $53,840 | $43,420 | 160 | After tax |
| Alabama | $52,660 | $43,440 | 530 | After tax |
| Iowa | $51,320 | $43,540 | 590 | After tax |
| Montana | $50,390 | $47,960 | 290 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $49,700 | $45,240 | 310 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $49,360 | $46,490 | 510 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $47,960 | $40,420 | 350 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $44,010 | $43,520 | 190 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $43,540 | $35,280 | 190 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $40,310 | $37,450 | 260 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $39,390 | $36,040 | 80 | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports and media jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists” (SOC 27-3023). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a journalist make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a journalist is $29.91, and the average is $49.26. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $17.42 an hour and the top 10% over $69.30.
How much does a journalist make a month?
At the median salary of $62,200, a journalist earns about $5,183 a month before tax, or $2,392 every two weeks.
Which state pays journalists the most?
New York has the highest average pay for a journalist, at $251,110 a year. Next are District of Columbia and Connecticut. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a journalist?
The lowest-paid 10% of journalists earn less than $36,240 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $45,370. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid journalists make?
The top 10% earn more than $144,140 a year, and the top 25% more than $98,450.
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