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The differences between news writers and 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 news writer and a reporter. Additionally, a reporter has an average salary of $46,667, which is higher than the $45,129 average annual salary of a news writer.
The top three skills for a news writer include news articles, ABC and SEO. The most important skills for a reporter are news stories, digital marketing, and facebook.
| News Writer | Reporter | |
| Yearly salary | $45,129 | $46,667 |
| Hourly rate | $21.70 | $22.44 |
| Growth rate | -10% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 17,010 | 11,179 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A news writer is primarily responsible for producing informative written materials about current events, ensuring quality and accuracy. Their responsibilities typically revolve around conducting interviews, traveling to different locations, pursuing leads, researching public records, and submitting stories within the expected deadline and set format. Typically working for newspapers or web news platforms, a news writer must also review materials to fact-check and correct any errors, monitor the progress of events or cases, and coordinate with other staff.
In journalism, a reporter is responsible for relaying truthful and reliable information to the public audience through various mediums such as print and media. A reporter must ensure to gather necessary and factual data that are supported by interviews and comments of those involved, remain unbiased in all aspects, produce a concise and comprehensive informational material within an allotted time, and efficiently coordinate with every staff. Furthermore, a reporter must remain professional at all times and adhere to the policies and regulations set by the company or network.
News writers and reporters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| News Writer | Reporter | |
| Average salary | $45,129 | $46,667 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $64,000 | Between $29,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Media |
There are a few differences between a news writer and a reporter in terms of educational background:
| News Writer | Reporter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Journalism | Journalism |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between news writers' and reporters' demographics:
| News Writer | Reporter | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9% | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% 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, 9.7% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |