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Journalist: Average Salary of a Journalist

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Published Sep 08, 2009

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If you have excellent research and writing skills and the ability to recognize important or interesting stories, then a career as a Journalist might be right for you. A bachelor's degree in journalism or a related discipline along and experience reporting for a college newspaper or broadcasting station is generally the minimum requirement for this career field.

Journalist Career Summary

A Journalist can work in broadcast, online or print media. Journalists write, edit and report stories. They interview people, attend press conferences, conduct research, read wire reports and press releases and analyze information. Some Journalists are required to spend a lot of time out in the field. Journalists often specialize and report on certain topics, such as politics, sports, entertainment, finance or current events.

A bachelor's degree program in journalism or mass communications provides the necessary knowledge and skills that a Journalist needs. The curriculum focuses on communications law, photojournalism, reporting and editing, visual communication, the history of journalism and broadcasting and journalism principles. Students can get vital experience working for the college newspaper, radio or television station, or intern for a local media outlet. According to PBS, www.pbs.org, journalism students should also study business. Many Journalists now run online businesses by using blogs, podcasts or online video to report stories.

Journalist Career Outlook at Salary Information

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov, predicts that job opportunities for Journalists and those in related occupations will not change much between 2006 and 2016. Competition for jobs will be toughest in national or large city newspapers, radio and television stations and magazines.

The BLS reports an average annual salary for print journalists of $31,690 and one of $38,050 for broadcast journalists in 2006. Journalists can transition into closely-related careers, such as public relations, advertising, writing or editing. Experienced Journalists can also teach college-level journalism classes.

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