The average employee age for journalists is 39 years. The journalist workforce reached a whopping 6,536 in 2020!
Among journalists, we discovered that 50.5% of them are women, while 42.4% are men. The most common race/ethnicity among journalists is White, which makes up 69.6% of all journalists. Comparatively, there are 13.7% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 7.5% of the Black or African American ethnicity. Journalists are also more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies. Taking it a step further, journalists are more likely to find a job in the media industry.
From where do we know all information about journalist demographics? We analyzed 8,964 journalists resumes to find out what the average demographics are for the job position. Just to be clear, by demographics we mean the study of population-based factors like age, race, and sex. On top of scouring through resumes, we also took note of job proposals from employers and Census Bureau data. And guess what? We found some pretty interesting information.
Journalist Diversity
From race to gender and even age, we found the average demographic information on those who work as journalists. Keep reading to find out what the results for journalists were.
Journalist Gender Ratio
Among journalists, 50.5% of them are women compared to 42.4% which are men.
- Female, 50.5%
- Male, 42.4%
- Unknown, 7.1%
Journalist Ethnic Breakdown
The most common ethnicity among journalists is White, which makes up 69.6% of all journalists. Comparatively, there are 13.7% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 7.5% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 69.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.7%
- Black or African American, 7.5%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 1.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Foreign Languages Spoken By Journalists
The chart below shows that 37.0% of journalists speak Spanish. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 8.1%.
- Spanish, 37.0%
- French, 14.7%
- Chinese, 8.1%
- Mandarin, 6.9%
- German, 5.3%
- Other, 28.0%
Journalist Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2008-2018 among journalists.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Journalist Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the journalist position over time.
Journalist Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of journalists changed.
- Unemployment rate
Age Based On Ethnicity And Gender
We determined the average age of journalists based on ethnicity and gender.
Number Of Years On The Job For Journalist
By looking over 8,964 journalists resumes, we figured out that the average journalist enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 32%.
Journalist Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of journalist employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of journalists is 40+ years old, which represents 45% of the population.
Comparing The Gender Ratio of Journalists with Other Job Titles
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, track announcer and public address announcer have the biggest difference in gender.
Job Title   | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Deaf Interpreter | 16% | 77% |
| Educational Interpreter | 20% | 74% |
| Events And Communications Coordinator | 21% | 75% |
| Journalist | 42% | 50% |
| Sports Announcer | 87% | 9% |
| Public Address Announcer | 88% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 89% | 11% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Journalists with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to journalists.
Job Title | LGBT |
|---|---|
| Senior Technical Writer And Editor | 15.82% |
| Journalist | 19.36% |
| Chief Writer | 22.69% |
| Sports Broadcaster | 25.03% |
| Interpretive Program Coordinator | 27.03% |
| Assistant Sports Editor | 28.26% |
| Sustainability Internship | 30.27% |
How Much Do Women Make Compared To Man As Journalist?
Journalist Income By Gender And Race/Ethnicity
We found interesting that Hispanic or Latino men and Hispanic or Latino women make more money compared to others.
- Male
- Female
Journalist Income By Race/Ethnicity And Education
This chart shows the impact that education has on the income level of different ethnicities.
Education | Income |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,608 |
| Master's Degree | $54,009 |
Journalist Income By Race/Ethnicity And Education
This chart shows the impact that education has on the income level of different ethnicities.
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Hispanic or Latino
- White
