Desk reporter vs newspaper reporter

The differences between desk reporters and newspaper reporters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a desk reporter and a newspaper reporter. Additionally, a desk reporter has an average salary of $72,636, which is higher than the $49,143 average annual salary of a newspaper reporter.

The top three skills for a desk reporter include conduct interviews, feature stories and . The most important skills for a newspaper reporter are news articles, feature stories, and community events.

Desk reporter vs newspaper reporter overview

	Desk Reporter	Newspaper Reporter
Yearly salary	$72,636	$49,143
Hourly rate	$34.92	$23.63
Growth rate	-10%	-10%
Number of jobs	26,375	2,329
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Desk reporter vs newspaper reporter salary

Desk reporters and newspaper reporters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Desk Reporter	Newspaper Reporter
Average salary	$72,636	$49,143
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $123,000	Between $31,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between desk reporter and newspaper reporter education

There are a few differences between a desk reporter and a newspaper reporter in terms of educational background:

	Desk Reporter	Newspaper Reporter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Most common major	Journalism	Journalism
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Desk reporter vs newspaper reporter demographics

Here are the differences between desk reporters' and newspaper reporters' demographics:

	Desk Reporter	Newspaper Reporter
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%	Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.6% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between desk reporter and newspaper reporter duties and responsibilities

Desk reporter example responsibilities.

Report to managing editor as member of editorial staff, contribute to newspaper editorials.
Cooperate with metro reporters, graphic designers, and photojournalist to produce daily-base newspaper.
Interview up and coming Latino artists which generate significant increase in readership.

Newspaper reporter example responsibilities.

Create a Facebook page and update statuses regularly to promote the publication.
Use NewsEditPro and InDesign software to create attractive news pages nightly prior to deadline.
Interview persons of interest, organize event calendars, write regular articles, provide consistent photography, and help paraphrase stock compilations
Assist with some editorial functions including final editing of some stories.
Revise work to meet editorial approval or to fit time or space requirements.
Report from red-carpet events, including: MTV

Desk reporter vs newspaper reporter skills

Common desk reporter skills

Conduct Interviews, 61%
Feature Stories, 39%

Common newspaper reporter skills

News Articles, 14%
Feature Stories, 13%
Community Events, 6%
Indesign, 5%
Local Events, 5%
Conduct Interviews, 5%

Desk Reporter vs. similar jobs

Desk Reporter related careers

Desk Reporter related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Desk Reporter
Desk Reporter vs Newspaper Reporter

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs