How To Become A Print Journalist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a print journalist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Aaron Moore Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a print journalist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $45.87 an hour? That's $95,407 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -10% and produce -5,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a print journalist?

Aaron Moore Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Journalism; Director of Internship Program, Rider University

The journalism field has changed dramatically - and not really for the best. With that said, those beginning in the area need to have a strong social media presence. They need to be able to tell editors they can attract eyeballs to any of their work or content. Before beginners start looking for a journalism job, cultivate a social media presence.

ScorePrint JournalistUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $95,407

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate -10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.29%

Asian 9.68%

Black or African American 6.38%

Hispanic or Latino 12.63%

Unknown 4.38%

White 66.63%

Gender

female 38.46%

male 61.54%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

2.1

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a print journalist

Explore print journalist education requirements

Most common print journalist degrees

Bachelor's

73.2 %

High School Diploma

9.8 %

Master's

7.3 %

Start to develop specific print journalist skills

Skills	Percentages
News Articles	100.00%

Complete relevant print journalist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New print journalists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a print journalist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real print journalist resumes.

Research print journalist duties and responsibilities

Manage studio operations, ensuring that shows run efficiently by floor directing, prompting and providing scripts.
Construct and edit web-published multimedia pieces that are featured on the university's athletic programs.
Create documentaries about individuals facing challenges.

Prepare your print journalist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your print journalist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a print journalist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable print journalist resume templates

Build a professional print journalist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your print journalist resume.