News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for news analysts, reporters, and journalists is $62,200, or $29.91 per hour. About 39,250 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $105,390 in District of Columbia to $35,280 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 48 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $105,390 | $50.67 | 1,720 | 9.72 |
| 2 | New York | $100,770 | $48.45 | 5,750 | 2.35 |
| 3 | Georgia | $81,910 | $39.38 | 1,520 | 1.23 |
| 4 | Nevada | $78,550 | $37.76 | 370 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $74,570 | $35.85 | 150 | 1.17 |
| 6 | Maryland | $63,680 | $30.61 | 580 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Michigan | $62,760 | $30.17 | 960 | 0.86 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $62,390 | $29.99 | 600 | 0.73 |
| 9 | Virginia | $62,140 | $29.87 | 1,110 | 1.07 |
| 10 | Utah | $61,880 | $29.75 | 240 | 0.54 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $61,620 | $29.62 | 470 | 1.09 |
| 12 | Colorado | $60,770 | $29.21 | 590 | 0.81 |
| 13 | Illinois | $60,590 | $29.13 | 1,060 | 0.69 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $59,830 | $28.76 | 500 | 0.46 |
| 15 | Florida | $58,730 | $28.24 | 2,490 | 0.99 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $58,670 | $28.21 | 930 | 0.74 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $57,530 | $27.66 | 740 | 1.00 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $56,730 | $27.27 | 120 | 0.77 |
| 19 | Delaware | $55,600 | $26.73 | 70 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Washington | $54,760 | $26.33 | 880 | 0.98 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $54,610 | $26.26 | 170 | 0.78 |
| 22 | Idaho | $51,190 | $24.61 | 220 | 1.03 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $50,750 | $24.40 | 410 | 0.83 |
| 24 | Maine | $50,090 | $24.08 | 250 | 1.57 |
| 25 | Oregon | $49,200 | $23.65 | 410 | 0.83 |
| 26 | Texas | $48,470 | $23.31 | 2,670 | 0.75 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $48,450 | $23.29 | 90 | 0.53 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $48,210 | $23.18 | 400 | 0.92 |
| 29 | Montana | $47,960 | $23.06 | 290 | 2.24 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $47,940 | $23.05 | 480 | 0.83 |
| 31 | Ohio | $47,880 | $23.02 | 1,340 | 0.96 |
| 32 | Indiana | $47,610 | $22.89 | 530 | 0.66 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $47,530 | $22.85 | 370 | 0.73 |
| 34 | Vermont | $46,970 | $22.58 | 90 | 1.11 |
| 35 | Missouri | $46,920 | $22.56 | 480 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $46,490 | $22.35 | 510 | 0.69 |
| 37 | Kansas | $45,870 | $22.05 | 400 | 1.10 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $45,240 | $21.75 | 310 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Alaska | $43,820 | $21.07 | 90 | 1.04 |
| 40 | Iowa | $43,540 | $20.93 | 590 | 1.49 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $43,520 | $20.92 | 190 | 1.63 |
| 42 | Alabama | $43,440 | $20.88 | 530 | 0.99 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $43,420 | $20.88 | 160 | 1.46 |
| 44 | Arizona | $43,100 | $20.72 | 450 | 0.55 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $40,420 | $19.44 | 350 | 1.34 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $37,450 | $18.00 | 260 | 0.77 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $36,040 | $17.33 | 80 | 1.14 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $35,280 | $16.96 | 190 | 1.07 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make?
The median annual wage for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in the United States is $62,200, or $29.91 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $36,240, and the top 10% earn $144,140.
How many news analysts, reporters, and journalists are employed in the U.S.?
About 39,250 people work as news analysts, reporters, and journalists nationwide.
Which state pays news analysts, reporters, and journalists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $105,390, followed by New York ($100,770) and Georgia ($81,910).
Which state pays news analysts, reporters, and journalists the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $35,280.
Where are news analysts, reporters, and journalists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 9.72×.