Study: Biz journalists earn more than other journalists

Business journalists in the United States reported receiving a pay rise over the past year, further cementing the premium they earn over the average journalist, reports Julianne Culey of the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

Culey reports, “Business reporters, correspondents, and freelancers who responded to the Reynolds Center’s annual survey reported a median salary of $85,000. Comparatively, the median salary published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in May 2024 – the most recently published employment data at the time of publishing – was significantly less at $60,280.

“This is the fourth consecutive year the Reynolds Center survey has shown business journalists earn at least 30% more than the average journalist in the U.S.

“Two-thirds of respondents (66.7%) stated they are currently working as a reporter or freelancer, and almost one-third of respondents (29.8%) were in positions as editors, supervisors, or senior management. The median salary for all respondents in the survey was $96,316, with editors and managers reporting a combined median salary of $128,333. The majority of reporters (65.7%) and editors/managers (77.6%) stated their salary had increased over the previous year. Only a handful of respondents (2.3%) stated their salary had decreased in the last year, with the rest of the respondents stating their salary had not changed.”

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