News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for news analysts, reporters, and journalistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $102,460 ≈ $49/hr
National median salary $62,200
Total employment 39,250 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -3.9%
Decline
Annual openings 4,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 49,300 → 47,400 (-1,900)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New York$251,110
- District of Columbia$174,360
- Connecticut$105,770
- Illinois$87,560
- Georgia$87,210
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Wyoming$39,390
- Arkansas$40,310
- West Virginia$43,540
- South Dakota$44,010
- Nebraska$47,960
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $251,110 | $100,770 | $121 | +145.1% | 5,750 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $174,360 | $105,390 | $84 | +70.2% | 1,720 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $105,770 | $61,620 | $51 | +3.2% | 470 |
| 4 | Illinois | $87,560 | $60,590 | $42 | -14.5% | 1,060 |
| 5 | Georgia | $87,210 | $81,910 | $42 | -14.9% | 1,520 |
| 6 | Nevada | $83,550 | $78,550 | $40 | -18.5% | 370 |
| 7 | Michigan | $81,950 | $62,760 | $39 | -20% | 960 |
| 8 | Maryland | $77,570 | $63,680 | $37 | -24.3% | 580 |
| 9 | Utah | $77,340 | $61,880 | $37 | -24.5% | 240 |
| 10 | Virginia | $76,820 | $62,140 | $37 | -25% | 1,110 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $73,280 | $56,730 | $35 | -28.5% | 120 |
| 12 | Delaware | $73,160 | $55,600 | $35 | -28.6% | 70 |
| 13 | Florida | $72,580 | $58,730 | $35 | -29.2% | 2,490 |
| 14 | Washington | $71,610 | $54,760 | $34 | -30.1% | 880 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $71,530 | $74,570 | $34 | -30.2% | 150 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $70,270 | $62,390 | $34 | -31.4% | 600 |
| 17 | Colorado | $68,760 | $60,770 | $33 | -32.9% | 590 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $68,580 | $59,830 | $33 | -33.1% | 500 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $65,010 | $58,670 | $31 | -36.6% | 930 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $64,650 | $54,610 | $31 | -36.9% | 170 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $63,920 | $50,750 | $31 | -37.6% | 410 |
| 22 | Texas | $63,390 | $48,470 | $30 | -38.1% | 2,670 |
| 23 | Indiana | $63,130 | $47,610 | $30 | -38.4% | 530 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $62,340 | $47,530 | $30 | -39.2% | 370 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $62,050 | $57,530 | $30 | -39.4% | 740 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $61,420 | $47,940 | $30 | -40.1% | 480 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $60,420 | $48,210 | $29 | -41% | 400 |
| 28 | Ohio | $59,660 | $47,880 | $29 | -41.8% | 1,340 |
| 29 | Oregon | $57,560 | $49,200 | $28 | -43.8% | 410 |
| 30 | Idaho | $57,450 | $51,190 | $28 | -43.9% | 220 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $56,770 | $48,450 | $27 | -44.6% | 90 |
| 32 | Missouri | $56,580 | $46,920 | $27 | -44.8% | 480 |
| 33 | Alaska | $55,900 | $43,820 | $27 | -45.4% | 90 |
| 34 | Kansas | $55,810 | $45,870 | $27 | -45.5% | 400 |
| 35 | Arizona | $55,680 | $43,100 | $27 | -45.7% | 450 |
| 36 | Maine | $54,840 | $50,090 | $26 | -46.5% | 250 |
| 37 | Vermont | $54,200 | $46,970 | $26 | -47.1% | 90 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $53,840 | $43,420 | $26 | -47.5% | 160 |
| 39 | Alabama | $52,660 | $43,440 | $25 | -48.6% | 530 |
| 40 | Iowa | $51,320 | $43,540 | $25 | -49.9% | 590 |
| 41 | Montana | $50,390 | $47,960 | $24 | -50.8% | 290 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $49,700 | $45,240 | $24 | -51.5% | 310 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $49,360 | $46,490 | $24 | -51.8% | 510 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $47,960 | $40,420 | $23 | -53.2% | 350 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $44,010 | $43,520 | $21 | -57% | 190 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $43,540 | $35,280 | $21 | -57.5% | 190 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $40,310 | $37,450 | $19 | -60.7% | 260 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $39,390 | $36,040 | $19 | -61.6% | 80 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 160 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $101,670 | $263,250 | 5,360 |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $101,020 | $151,310 | 2,390 |
| 3 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $85,040 | $95,470 | 1,090 |
| 4 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $81,640 | $88,260 | 300 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $80,000 | $86,800 | 220 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $79,760 | $84,970 | 190 |
| 7 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $77,180 | $98,290 | 470 |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $76,450 | $91,420 | 160 |
| 9 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $74,290 | $76,260 | 340 |
| 10 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $70,350 | $104,580 | 660 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing news analysts, reporters, and journalistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $108,400 | $100,250 | 50 |
| 2 | Administrative and Support Services | $103,620 | $136,940 | 190 |
| 3 | Employment Services | $103,620 | $136,940 | 190 |
| 4 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $103,620 | $136,940 | 190 |
| 5 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $88,460 | $96,160 | 130 |
| 6 | Sector 71 - Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $88,460 | $96,160 | 130 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $82,970 | $89,100 | — |
| 8 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $82,970 | $89,100 | — |
| 9 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $82,970 | $89,100 | — |
| 10 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $82,530 | $104,030 | 730 |
| 11 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $82,530 | $104,030 | 730 |
| 12 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $80,180 | $139,660 | 9,730 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make in the U.S.?
The median news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary in the United States is $62,200 per year (mean $102,460), and about 80% earn between $36,240 and $144,140.
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make per hour?
Roughly $49 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $102,460 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays news analysts, reporters, and journalists the most?
New York has the highest average pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists at $251,110 per year (median $100,770).
What is the job outlook for news analysts, reporters, and journalists?
Employment is projected to change -3.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 4,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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