News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.
Also called: Anchor · News Anchor · News Reporter · Radio News Anchor · Radio Talk Show Host · Reporter
Median pay (national)
$60,280
$34,590–$162,430 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
41,550
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-3.9%
~4,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $162,430 versus $34,590 at the bottom 10% — 4.7x. The median of $60,280 leaves roughly 169% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -3.9% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 4,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $103,810, +72% vs the national median), while Arkansas sits lowest at $34,230 — a 203% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
- Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
- Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
- Analyze and interpret news and information received from various sources to broadcast the information.
- Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.
- Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.
- Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
- Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.
- Select material most pertinent to presentation, and organize this material into appropriate formats.
- Present news stories, and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.
Tools & technology
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft SQL Server
- WordPress
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Audion Laboratories VoxPro
- Avid Technology Pro Tools
- Desktop Technologies NewsBoss
- ESRI ArcView
- FileMaker Pro
- Grass Valley EDIUS
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Communications and Media
- Law and Government
- Computers and Electronics
- Telecommunications
- Customer and Personal Service
- Geography
- Public Safety and Security