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Best states for a news reporter
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Brant Houston
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Are you thinking of becoming a news reporter and really want to work at CBS? Turns out, your chances to become a news reporter are better in some states than others.In order to help you decide which state is the best for news reporters, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for news reporter jobs.
We figured that the best places for news reporter jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the West is best for news reporters, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for news reporter jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for news reporters in 2026
1. New York
Total news reporter jobs: 732 Average annual salary: $54,106 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 2.45
2. Vermont
Total news reporter jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $47,787 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
3. Maryland
Total news reporter jobs: 280 Average annual salary: $48,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.89
4. New Jersey
Total news reporter jobs: 160 Average annual salary: $53,113 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
5. Missouri
Total news reporter jobs: 131 Average annual salary: $44,869 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
6. Michigan
Total news reporter jobs: 128 Average annual salary: $46,522 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
7. District of Columbia
Total news reporter jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $48,075 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 5.04
8. California
Total news reporter jobs: 811 Average annual salary: $46,425 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
9. Pennsylvania
Total news reporter jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $45,102 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
10. Washington
Total news reporter jobs: 178 Average annual salary: $44,232 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
News reporter jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a news reporter
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a news reporter
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $54,106 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 732 |
| 2 | Vermont | $47,787 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 19 |
| 3 | Maryland | $48,666 | $30,000 | 6,052,177 | 280 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $53,113 | $33,000 | 9,005,644 | 160 |
| 5 | Missouri | $44,869 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 131 |
| 6 | Michigan | $46,522 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 128 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $48,075 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 197 |
| 8 | California | $46,425 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 811 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $45,102 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 202 |
| 10 | Washington | $44,232 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 178 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $44,327 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 251 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $47,187 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 40 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $43,930 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 21 |
| 14 | Maine | $47,185 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 10 |
| 15 | Ohio | $44,698 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 135 |
| 16 | Virginia | $42,761 | $26,000 | 8,470,020 | 374 |
| 17 | Delaware | $45,987 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 16 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $40,999 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 190 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $41,822 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 35 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $42,890 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 65 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $41,655 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 92 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $39,321 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 30 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $42,012 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 24 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $40,414 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 39 |
| 25 | Florida | $40,093 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 318 |
| 26 | Nevada | $40,200 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 36 |
| 27 | Iowa | $38,159 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 76 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $40,816 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 37 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $39,715 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 42 |
| 30 | Arizona | $39,469 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 93 |
| 31 | Illinois | $38,698 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 249 |
| 32 | Georgia | $39,086 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 170 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $35,188 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 28 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $38,842 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 109 |
| 35 | Texas | $37,180 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 418 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $35,676 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 22 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $35,478 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 61 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $36,610 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 104 |
| 39 | Oregon | $35,669 | $23,000 | 4,142,776 | 158 |
| 40 | Alabama | $37,591 | $24,000 | 4,874,747 | 63 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $36,727 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 18 |
| 42 | Colorado | $35,292 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 129 |
| 43 | Utah | $34,573 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 71 |
| 44 | Kansas | $36,068 | $24,000 | 2,913,123 | 45 |
| 45 | Indiana | $36,589 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 70 |
| 46 | Alaska | $31,561 | $21,000 | 739,795 | 27 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $36,196 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 18 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $34,122 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 71 |
| 49 | Idaho | $32,009 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 32 |
| 50 | Montana | $31,487 | $22,000 | 1,050,493 | 20 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $33,329 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 10 |
Highest paying states for news reporters
| Rank | State | Avg. News Reporter Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $54,106 |
| 2 | Vermont | $47,787 |
| 3 | Maryland | $48,666 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $53,113 |
| 5 | Missouri | $44,869 |
| 6 | Michigan | $46,522 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $48,075 |
| 8 | California | $46,425 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $45,102 |
| 10 | Washington | $44,232 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $44,327 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $47,187 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $43,930 |
| 14 | Maine | $47,185 |
| 15 | Ohio | $44,698 |
| 16 | Virginia | $42,761 |
| 17 | Delaware | $45,987 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $40,999 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $41,822 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $42,890 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $41,655 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $39,321 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $42,012 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $40,414 |
| 25 | Florida | $40,093 |
| 26 | Nevada | $40,200 |
| 27 | Iowa | $38,159 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $40,816 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $39,715 |
| 30 | Arizona | $39,469 |
| 31 | Illinois | $38,698 |
| 32 | Georgia | $39,086 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $35,188 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $38,842 |
| 35 | Texas | $37,180 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $35,676 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $35,478 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $36,610 |
| 39 | Oregon | $35,669 |
| 40 | Alabama | $37,591 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $36,727 |
| 42 | Colorado | $35,292 |
| 43 | Utah | $34,573 |
| 44 | Kansas | $36,068 |
| 45 | Indiana | $36,589 |
| 46 | Alaska | $31,561 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $36,196 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $34,122 |
| 49 | Idaho | $32,009 |
| 50 | Montana | $31,487 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $33,329 |
Expert opinions on the best states for news reporters
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for news reporters to find work opportunities?
Brant Houston
Professor and Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Any place with healthy nonprofit newsrooms and more than 250 (you can find them listed the Institute for Nonprofit News) across the country is an excellent place to look, and the pay is often more than at for-profits these days. One area where there are many nonprofits in Chicago.
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Updated January 8, 2025