News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists · Illinois

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary in Illinois

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $60,590 —2.6% below the national median of $62,200. That ranks IL #13 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$60,590
Median hourly
$29.13
Entry level (P10)
$36,680
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$140,620
90th percentile
Employment
1,060
0.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-2.6%
U.S. $62,200

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$36,680
$42,790
$60,590
$86,060
$36,680$60,590$140,620
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $60,590.

Employment is only 0.69× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Highest-paying states for news analysts, reporters, and journalists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$105,390$50.671,7209.72
2New York$100,770$48.455,7502.35
3Georgia$81,910$39.381,5201.23
4Nevada$78,550$37.763700.96
5Rhode Island$74,570$35.851501.17
6Maryland$63,680$30.615800.83
7Michigan$62,760$30.179600.86
8Tennessee$62,390$29.996000.73
9Virginia$62,140$29.871,1101.07
10Utah$61,880$29.752400.54

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Public Relations Specialists$76,380$74,750
Coaches and Scouts$49,120$47,320
Graphic Designers$62,560$62,960
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$40,270$39,390
Producers and Directors$81,080$90,360
Editors$76,060$77,920

Frequently asked questions

How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Illinois is $60,590, or $29.13 per hour. That is 2.6% below the national median of $62,200.

What is the entry-level news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $36,680 per year ($17.64/hour). The 25th percentile is $42,790.

How many people work as news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Illinois?

About 1,060 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for news analysts, reporters, and journalists?

Illinois ranks #13 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.69x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Which state pays news analysts, reporters, and journalists the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $105,390 per year, followed by New York ($100,770) and Georgia ($81,910).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes