Reporter demographics and statistics in the US
Reporter demographics research summary. Zippia estimates reporter demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our reporter estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about reporters after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 21,161 reporters currently employed in the United States.
- 55.2% of all reporters are women, while 44.8% are men.
- The average reporter age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of reporters is White (66.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Asian (9.7%) and Black or African American (6.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 10% of all reporters are LGBT.
- Reporters are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Reporter demographics by:
Reporter gender statistics
55.2% of reporters are women and 44.8% of reporters are men.
- Female, 55.2%
- Male, 44.8%
Reporter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 55.2% |
| Male | 44.8% |
Reporter gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,949
Female income
$42,920
Reporter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in reporter positions over time. Currently, 55.2% of reporters are female.
Reporter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 46.45% | 53.55% |
| 2011 | 46.02% | 53.98% |
| 2012 | 45.99% | 54.01% |
| 2013 | 49.02% | 50.98% |
| 2014 | 51.58% | 48.42% |
| 2015 | 45.62% | 54.38% |
| 2016 | 47.58% | 52.42% |
| 2017 | 44.37% | 55.63% |
| 2018 | 49.00% | 51.00% |
| 2019 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
| 2020 | 49.45% | 50.55% |
| 2021 | 44.81% | 55.19% |
Reporter related jobs gender ratio
We compared reporters with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Reporter | 45% | 55% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Reporter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among reporters is White, which makes up 66.5% of all reporters. Comparatively, 12.7% of reporters are Hispanic or Latino and 9.7% of reporters are Asian.
- White, 66.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Asian, 9.7%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Reporter race
| Reporter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Asian | 9.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Reporter race and ethnicity over time
See how reporter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Reporter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.60% | 7.33% | 6.22% | 10.73% |
| 2011 | 76.00% | 5.48% | 5.93% | 9.57% |
| 2012 | 73.57% | 7.25% | 6.86% | 10.15% |
| 2013 | 72.59% | 7.03% | 6.48% | 11.93% |
| 2014 | 72.02% | 6.46% | 6.82% | 11.58% |
| 2015 | 70.87% | 8.00% | 5.97% | 11.98% |
| 2016 | 73.89% | 4.74% | 6.70% | 10.33% |
| 2017 | 71.60% | 5.98% | 6.69% | 12.71% |
| 2018 | 69.61% | 7.51% | 6.97% | 13.73% |
| 2019 | 70.51% | 5.42% | 8.60% | 12.15% |
| 2020 | 71.16% | 6.52% | 7.41% | 11.79% |
| 2021 | 66.51% | 6.41% | 9.71% | 12.69% |
Reporter wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino reporters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american reporters have the lowest average salary at $39,498.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,477 |
| White | $43,578 |
| Black or African American | $39,498 |
| Asian | $46,266 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,358 |
Average reporter age
See how the average age of reporters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Reporter age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 50 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 29 | 27.5 |
| Asian | 38 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 36 |
Reporter age breakdown
The average age of reporters is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the reporter population.
Reporter age breakdown
| Reporter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 32% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Reporter educational attainment
The most common degree for reporters is bachelor's degree, with 81% of reporters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 8% and master's degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 81%
- Master's, 8%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Reporters by degree level
| Reporter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 81% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Associate | 7% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Reporter jobs you might like
Reporter wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,386 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,201 |
Reporter employment statistics
Most reporters work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where reporters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where reporters work.
Reporter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 35% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Reporter jobs by company type
Employees with the reporter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most reporters prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Reporter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 4% |
Reporter jobs by industry
The most common industries for reporters are media, education and manufacturing.
Reporter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 74% |
| Education | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Reporter turnover and employment statistics
Reporter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for reporters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reporter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Reporter unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.18% |
| 2011 | 5.45% |
| 2012 | 5.99% |
| 2013 | 3.17% |
| 2014 | 4.18% |
| 2015 | 4.87% |
| 2016 | 2.80% |
| 2017 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 4.35% |
| 2020 | 5.70% |
| 2021 | 3.87% |
Average reporter tenure
The average reporter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 28,344 reporters resumes in Zippia's database.
Reporter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Reporter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of reporters that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Reporter | 10.10% | - |
| Radio Broadcaster | 10.34% | 2,182 |
| Social Media Associate | 12.01% | 41,939 |
| Contract Editor | 12.38% | 12,360 |
| Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Specialist | 14.90% | 1,470 |
| Travel Writer | 16.36% | 18,258 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Similar reporter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Broadcaster | 10.34% | 2,182 |
| Social Media Associate | 12.01% | 41,939 |
| Contract Editor | 12.38% | 12,360 |
| Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Specialist | 14.90% | 1,470 |
| Travel Writer | 16.36% | 18,258 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Foreign languages spoken by reporters
The most common foreign language among reporters is Spanish at 47.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.2% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.0%.
- Spanish, 47.1%
- French, 16.2%
- Chinese, 5.0%
- Mandarin, 4.9%
- German, 4.2%
- Other, 22.6%
Reporter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.1% |
| French | 16.2% |
| Chinese | 5.0% |
| Mandarin | 4.9% |
| German | 4.2% |
| Other | 22.6% |
