Freelance journalist demographics and statistics in the US
On this page
Freelance journalist demographics by:
Freelance journalist gender statistics
52.1% of freelance journalists are women and 47.9% of freelance journalists are men.
- Female, 52.1%
- Male, 47.9%
Freelance journalist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 52.1% |
| Male | 47.9% |
Freelance journalist gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,478
Female income
$46,690
Freelance journalist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in freelance journalist positions over time. Currently, 52.1% of freelance journalists are female.
Freelance journalist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 46.04% | 53.96% |
| 2011 | 47.30% | 52.70% |
| 2012 | 47.85% | 52.15% |
| 2013 | 49.84% | 50.16% |
| 2014 | 49.30% | 50.70% |
| 2015 | 46.74% | 53.26% |
| 2016 | 43.66% | 56.34% |
| 2017 | 44.45% | 55.55% |
| 2018 | 47.93% | 52.07% |
| 2019 | 43.95% | 56.05% |
| 2020 | 46.07% | 53.93% |
| 2021 | 47.87% | 52.13% |
Freelance journalist related jobs gender ratio
We compared freelance journalists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Freelance Journalist | 48% | 52% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Freelance journalist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among freelance journalists is White, which makes up 75.7% of all freelance journalists. Comparatively, 7.6% of freelance journalists are Hispanic or Latino and 5.9% of freelance journalists are Black or African American.
- White, 75.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.6%
- Black or African American, 5.9%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Asian, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Freelance journalist race
| Freelance journalist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.6% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Freelance journalist race and ethnicity over time
See how freelance journalist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Freelance journalist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.19% | 5.02% | 4.18% | 4.61% |
| 2011 | 83.33% | 5.23% | 3.56% | 5.36% |
| 2012 | 81.26% | 5.77% | 4.34% | 5.70% |
| 2013 | 81.31% | 5.06% | 3.98% | 6.23% |
| 2014 | 80.06% | 5.86% | 4.00% | 6.64% |
| 2015 | 80.86% | 5.17% | 4.42% | 6.61% |
| 2016 | 80.93% | 5.58% | 4.26% | 6.24% |
| 2017 | 82.00% | 5.21% | 4.47% | 5.47% |
| 2018 | 80.64% | 4.83% | 4.16% | 7.05% |
| 2019 | 79.55% | 5.79% | 3.99% | 7.11% |
| 2020 | 76.56% | 5.81% | 4.34% | 7.51% |
| 2021 | 75.70% | 5.89% | 4.90% | 7.57% |
Freelance journalist wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown freelance journalists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian freelance journalists have the lowest average salary at $47,524.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,205 |
| White | $48,751 |
| Black or African American | $48,799 |
| Asian | $47,524 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $48,129 |
Average freelance journalist age
See how the average age of freelance journalists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Freelance journalist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34.5 | 36 |
| White | 44 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 41 |
| Asian | 34 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5 | 34 |
Freelance journalist age breakdown
The average age of freelance journalists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the freelance journalist population.
Freelance journalist age breakdown
| Freelance Journalist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Freelance journalist educational attainment
The most common degree for freelance journalists is bachelor's degree, with 77% of freelance journalists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Freelance journalists by degree level
| Freelance journalist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Master's | 14% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Freelance journalist jobs you might like
Freelance journalist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, freelance journalists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $53,692 annually. With a Master's degree, freelance journalists earn a median annual income of $51,315 compared to $51,225 for freelance journalists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,315 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,225 |
| Doctorate Degree | $53,692 |
Freelance journalist employment statistics
Most freelance journalists work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where freelance journalists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where freelance journalists work.
Freelance journalist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
Freelance journalist jobs by company type
Employees with the freelance journalist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most freelance journalists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Freelance journalist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 6% |
Freelance journalist jobs by industry
The most common industries for freelance journalists are media, government and hospitality.
Freelance journalist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 52% |
| Government | 6% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Freelance journalist turnover and employment statistics
Freelance journalist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for freelance journalists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Freelance journalist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Freelance journalist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.42% |
| 2011 | 6.99% |
| 2012 | 6.73% |
| 2013 | 6.55% |
| 2014 | 7.00% |
| 2015 | 5.19% |
| 2016 | 5.17% |
| 2017 | 5.38% |
| 2018 | 5.51% |
| 2019 | 5.71% |
| 2020 | 6.81% |
| 2021 | 7.01% |
Average freelance journalist tenure
The average freelance journalist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,528 freelance journalists resumes in Zippia's database.
Freelance journalist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 24% |
Freelance journalist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of freelance journalists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| News Reporter | 10.10% | 11,609 |
| Radio Disc Jockey | 10.34% | 4,315 |
| Senior Communications Specialist | 12.01% | 18,973 |
| Health Editor | 12.38% | 51,353 |
| Translator | 14.90% | 1,206 |
| Freelance Journalist | 16.36% | - |
| Track Announcer | 16.36% | 736 |
Similar freelance journalist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| News Reporter | 10.10% | 11,609 |
| Radio Disc Jockey | 10.34% | 4,315 |
| Senior Communications Specialist | 12.01% | 18,973 |
| Health Editor | 12.38% | 51,353 |
| Translator | 14.90% | 1,206 |
| Track Announcer | 16.36% | 736 |
Foreign languages spoken by freelance journalists
The most common foreign language among freelance journalists is Spanish at 34.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 20.5% and German is the third-most popular at 7.9%.
- Spanish, 34.5%
- French, 20.5%
- German, 7.9%
- Arabic, 6.1%
- Italian, 5.4%
- Other, 25.6%
Freelance journalist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 34.5% |
| French | 20.5% |
| German | 7.9% |
| Arabic | 6.1% |
| Italian | 5.4% |
| Other | 25.6% |
