Investigative reporter demographics and statistics in the US
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Investigative reporter demographics by:
Investigative reporter gender statistics
51.0% of investigative reporters are women and 49.0% of investigative reporters are men.
- Female, 51.0%
- Male, 49.0%
Investigative reporter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 51.0% |
| Male | 49.0% |
Investigative reporter gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$61,259
Female income
$59,758
Investigative reporter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in investigative reporter positions over time. Currently, 51.0% of investigative reporters are female.
Investigative reporter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 50.64% | 49.36% |
| 2011 | 50.20% | 49.80% |
| 2012 | 50.17% | 49.83% |
| 2013 | 53.21% | 46.79% |
| 2014 | 55.74% | 44.26% |
| 2015 | 49.80% | 50.20% |
| 2016 | 51.76% | 48.24% |
| 2017 | 48.53% | 51.47% |
| 2018 | 53.18% | 46.82% |
| 2019 | 49.63% | 50.37% |
| 2020 | 53.64% | 46.36% |
| 2021 | 48.98% | 51.02% |
Investigative reporter related jobs gender ratio
We compared investigative reporters 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% |
| Investigative Reporter | 49% | 51% |
| 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%
Investigative reporter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among investigative reporters is White, which makes up 67.7% of all investigative reporters. Comparatively, 12.7% of investigative reporters are Hispanic or Latino and 8.6% of investigative reporters are Asian.
- White, 67.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Asian, 8.6%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Investigative reporter race
| Investigative reporter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Asian | 8.6% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Investigative reporter race and ethnicity over time
See how investigative reporter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Investigative reporter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.74% | 7.32% | 5.10% | 10.70% |
| 2011 | 77.15% | 5.48% | 4.81% | 9.55% |
| 2012 | 74.72% | 7.24% | 5.74% | 10.12% |
| 2013 | 73.74% | 7.02% | 5.36% | 11.91% |
| 2014 | 73.17% | 6.45% | 5.70% | 11.56% |
| 2015 | 72.02% | 7.99% | 4.86% | 11.96% |
| 2016 | 75.03% | 4.73% | 5.59% | 10.31% |
| 2017 | 72.74% | 5.97% | 5.58% | 12.69% |
| 2018 | 70.75% | 7.50% | 5.86% | 13.71% |
| 2019 | 71.66% | 5.41% | 7.49% | 12.13% |
| 2020 | 72.30% | 6.51% | 6.30% | 11.76% |
| 2021 | 67.66% | 6.40% | 8.59% | 12.67% |
Investigative reporter wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino investigative reporters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american investigative reporters have the lowest average salary at $54,781.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $60,571 |
| White | $60,718 |
| Black or African American | $54,781 |
| Asian | $64,644 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $66,242 |
Average investigative reporter age
See how the average age of investigative reporters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Investigative reporter age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 50 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 29 | 27.5 |
| Asian | 38 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 36 |
Investigative reporter age breakdown
The average age of investigative reporters is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the investigative reporter population.
Investigative reporter age breakdown
| Investigative Reporter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 32% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Investigative reporter educational attainment
The most common degree for investigative reporters is bachelor's degree, with 75% of investigative reporters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Investigative reporters by degree level
| Investigative reporter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 75% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 7% |
| High School Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Investigative reporter jobs you might like
Investigative reporter wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,681 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,477 |
Investigative reporter employment statistics
Most investigative reporters work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where investigative reporters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where investigative reporters work.
Investigative reporter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Investigative reporter jobs by company type
Employees with the investigative reporter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most investigative reporters prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Investigative reporter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 5% |
Investigative reporter jobs by industry
The most common industries for investigative reporters are media, professional and education.
Investigative reporter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 58% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Education | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Investigative reporter turnover and employment statistics
Investigative reporter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for investigative reporters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Investigative reporter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Investigative reporter unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.18% |
| 2011 | 5.45% |
| 2012 | 5.99% |
| 2013 | 3.17% |
| 2014 | 4.18% |
| 2015 | 4.87% |
| 2016 | 2.80% |
| 2017 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 4.35% |
| 2020 | 5.70% |
| 2021 | 3.87% |
Average investigative reporter tenure
The average investigative reporter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 477 investigative reporters resumes in Zippia's database.
Investigative reporter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Investigative reporter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of investigative reporters 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Investigative Reporter | 10.10% | - |
| Program Director/Morning Show Host | 10.34% | 71,725 |
| Audience Coordinator | 12.01% | 23,628 |
| Photography Editor | 12.38% | 4,474 |
| Conference Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,933 |
| Senior Writer | 16.36% | 15,995 |
| Train Announcer | 16.36% | 1,244 |
Similar investigative reporter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Program Director/Morning Show Host | 10.34% | 71,725 |
| Audience Coordinator | 12.01% | 23,628 |
| Photography Editor | 12.38% | 4,474 |
| Conference Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,933 |
| Senior Writer | 16.36% | 15,995 |
| Train Announcer | 16.36% | 1,244 |
Foreign languages spoken by investigative reporters
The most common foreign language among investigative reporters is Spanish at 40.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 12.5% and French is the third-most popular at 9.4%.
- Spanish, 40.6%
- Arabic, 12.5%
- French, 9.4%
- Portuguese, 6.3%
- German, 6.3%
- Other, 24.9%
Investigative reporter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 40.6% |
| Arabic | 12.5% |
| French | 9.4% |
| Portuguese | 6.3% |
| German | 6.3% |
| Other | 24.9% |
