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Best states for a reporter
Quoted expert
Brant Houston
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for reporters? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for reporter jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Our research found that District of Columbia is the best state for reporters, while New Jersey and Kentucky are ranked highest in terms of median salary. District of Columbia has a median salary of $60,067 and New Jersey has the highest median salary among all 50 states for reporters.
District of Columbia is the best state for jobs for reporters, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in District of Columbia is $60,067, while the median pay in South Dakota is $36,746.We found that the West is best for reporters, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for reporter jobs, where as District of Columbia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for reporters in 2026
1. District of Columbia
Total reporter jobs: 201 Average annual salary: $60,067 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 5.08
2. New York
Total reporter jobs: 674 Average annual salary: $53,339 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 2.23
3. Maryland
Total reporter jobs: 336 Average annual salary: $53,195 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 2.25
4. New Jersey
Total reporter jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $57,516 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
5. Vermont
Total reporter jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $49,271 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
6. Michigan
Total reporter jobs: 130 Average annual salary: $51,105 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
7. North Carolina
Total reporter jobs: 207 Average annual salary: $46,270 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
8. Virginia
Total reporter jobs: 354 Average annual salary: $47,513 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.59
9. Kentucky
Total reporter jobs: 41 Average annual salary: $53,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.47
10. Ohio
Total reporter jobs: 123 Average annual salary: $50,078 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.51
Reporter jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a reporter
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a reporter
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $60,067 | $36,000 | 693,972 | 201 |
| 2 | New York | $53,339 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 674 |
| 3 | Maryland | $53,195 | $32,000 | 6,052,177 | 336 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $57,516 | $35,000 | 9,005,644 | 166 |
| 5 | Vermont | $49,271 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 22 |
| 6 | Michigan | $51,105 | $31,000 | 9,962,311 | 130 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $46,270 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 207 |
| 8 | Virginia | $47,513 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 354 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $53,723 | $34,000 | 4,454,189 | 41 |
| 10 | Ohio | $50,078 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 123 |
| 11 | Delaware | $50,076 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 19 |
| 12 | Maine | $48,717 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 12 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $46,912 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 75 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $45,788 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 37 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $46,211 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 21 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $44,053 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 29 |
| 17 | Illinois | $45,283 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 262 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $45,975 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 66 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $44,844 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 194 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $44,457 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 39 |
| 21 | California | $45,506 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 867 |
| 22 | Florida | $44,792 | $28,000 | 20,984,400 | 310 |
| 23 | Nevada | $44,661 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 32 |
| 24 | Iowa | $43,219 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 74 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $43,234 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 288 |
| 26 | Arizona | $43,688 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 93 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $44,311 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 37 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $43,348 | $28,000 | 3,930,864 | 39 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $40,039 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 53 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $43,369 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 26 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $38,452 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 30 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,661 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 125 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $42,383 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 120 |
| 34 | Washington | $41,531 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 186 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $40,746 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 105 |
| 36 | Oregon | $39,448 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 172 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,398 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 55 |
| 38 | Indiana | $41,525 | $26,000 | 6,666,818 | 74 |
| 39 | Kansas | $40,520 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 47 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,901 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 164 |
| 41 | Texas | $39,027 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 393 |
| 42 | Utah | $38,125 | $24,000 | 3,101,833 | 76 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $37,232 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 21 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $36,873 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 24 |
| 45 | Colorado | $36,882 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 138 |
| 46 | Alaska | $30,175 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 31 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $39,460 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 18 |
| 48 | Idaho | $34,798 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 36 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $38,531 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 64 |
| 50 | Montana | $33,489 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 20 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $36,746 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 11 |
Highest paying states for reporters
| Rank | State | Avg. Reporter Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $60,067 |
| 2 | New York | $53,339 |
| 3 | Maryland | $53,195 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $57,516 |
| 5 | Vermont | $49,271 |
| 6 | Michigan | $51,105 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $46,270 |
| 8 | Virginia | $47,513 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $53,723 |
| 10 | Ohio | $50,078 |
| 11 | Delaware | $50,076 |
| 12 | Maine | $48,717 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $46,912 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $45,788 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $46,211 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $44,053 |
| 17 | Illinois | $45,283 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $45,975 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $44,844 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $44,457 |
| 21 | California | $45,506 |
| 22 | Florida | $44,792 |
| 23 | Nevada | $44,661 |
| 24 | Iowa | $43,219 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $43,234 |
| 26 | Arizona | $43,688 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $44,311 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $43,348 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $40,039 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $43,369 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $38,452 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,661 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $42,383 |
| 34 | Washington | $41,531 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $40,746 |
| 36 | Oregon | $39,448 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,398 |
| 38 | Indiana | $41,525 |
| 39 | Kansas | $40,520 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,901 |
| 41 | Texas | $39,027 |
| 42 | Utah | $38,125 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $37,232 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $36,873 |
| 45 | Colorado | $36,882 |
| 46 | Alaska | $30,175 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $39,460 |
| 48 | Idaho | $34,798 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $38,531 |
| 50 | Montana | $33,489 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $36,746 |
Expert opinions on the best states for reporters
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for 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