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News writer salary
Average news writer salary
$45,129
Understanding News Writer Salaries
The salary of a news writer can be influenced by various elements, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific field of journalism. For instance, news writers in major metropolitan areas often earn higher wages compared to those in smaller towns. According to recent data, states like California, New York, and Washington are among the highest paying for news writers, with salaries averaging over $50,000.
Moreover, experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level news writers may start with salaries closer to $35,000, while those with several years of experience can command salaries upwards of $60,000. Specializations within news writing, such as investigative journalism or political reporting, may also offer higher compensation rates.
Salary Trends Over Time
Over the past decade, the demand for skilled news writers has remained steady, reflecting the ongoing need for quality journalism. As media organizations adapt to digital platforms, opportunities for news writers continue to evolve, making this a dynamic career choice for those passionate about storytelling.
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Where can a News Writer earn more?
News writer salary estimates from across the web
Average news writer salary by state
The highest-paying states for news writers are New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. The lowest average news writer salary states are Florida, Mississippi, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for news writers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $64,654 | $31.08 |
| 2 | Vermont | $59,585 | $28.65 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $61,765 | $29.69 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $62,973 | $30.28 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $54,727 | $26.31 |
| 6 | Maryland | $55,385 | $26.63 |
| 7 | Washington | $55,210 | $26.54 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $53,935 | $25.93 |
| 9 | Michigan | $54,047 | $25.98 |
| 10 | Delaware | $53,145 | $25.55 |
| 11 | Maine | $59,371 | $28.54 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $52,731 | $25.35 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $52,041 | $25.02 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $52,099 | $25.05 |
| 15 | Missouri | $48,904 | $23.51 |
| 16 | Alaska | $48,050 | $23.10 |
| 17 | Nevada | $45,852 | $22.04 |
| 18 | Illinois | $49,045 | $23.58 |
| 19 | Virginia | $46,695 | $22.45 |
| 20 | Ohio | $50,102 | $24.09 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $50,473 | $24.27 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $45,267 | $21.76 |
| 23 | Oregon | $44,035 | $21.17 |
| 24 | California | $46,000 | $22.12 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $44,179 | $21.24 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $43,126 | $20.73 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $41,494 | $19.95 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $43,164 | $20.75 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $44,597 | $21.44 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $40,432 | $19.44 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $43,019 | $20.68 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $42,680 | $20.52 |
| 33 | Iowa | $42,240 | $20.31 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $41,797 | $20.09 |
| 35 | Utah | $40,185 | $19.32 |
| 36 | Arizona | $41,994 | $20.19 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $42,792 | $20.57 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $39,179 | $18.84 |
| 39 | Texas | $40,657 | $19.55 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,943 | $19.20 |
| 41 | Indiana | $40,107 | $19.28 |
| 42 | Georgia | $40,614 | $19.53 |
| 43 | Kansas | $39,860 | $19.16 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,175 | $18.83 |
| 45 | Idaho | $38,606 | $18.56 |
| 46 | Montana | $37,022 | $17.80 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $34,032 | $16.36 |
| 48 | Florida | $38,116 | $18.32 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $37,539 | $18.05 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $37,923 | $18.23 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $35,654 | $17.14 |
Highest paying cities for news writers
The highest-paying cities for news writers are New York, NY, Elizabeth, NJ, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $64,820 | $31.16 |
| 2 | Elizabeth, NJ | $63,105 | $30.34 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $61,753 | $29.69 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $55,572 | $26.72 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $54,974 | $26.43 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,219 | $25.59 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $49,791 | $23.94 |
| 8 | Skokie, IL | $49,604 | $23.85 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $49,215 | $23.66 |
| 10 | Springfield, VA | $48,856 | $23.49 |
| 11 | Reno, NV | $48,018 | $23.09 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $44,027 | $21.17 |
| 13 | New Orleans, LA | $42,804 | $20.58 |
| 14 | Glendale, AZ | $42,130 | $20.25 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $40,698 | $19.57 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $40,639 | $19.54 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | $39,949 | $19.21 |
| 18 | Wichita, KS | $39,589 | $19.03 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | $38,534 | $18.53 |
| 20 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $36,583 | $17.59 |
News Writers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
News writer salary details
A news writer's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a news writer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $45,129 | $3,761 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying news writer jobs
The highest paying types of news writers are writer, technical writer, and content editor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journalist | $60,828 | $5,069 | $29.24 | 11,488 |
| Editing Internship | $35,035 | $2,920 | $16.84 | 49,315 |
| Production Editor | $53,275 | $4,440 | $25.61 | 62,877 |
| Editorial Internship | $32,356 | $2,696 | $15.56 | 51,667 |
| Editor | $52,107 | $4,342 | $25.05 | 15,115 |
| Content Editor | $61,694 | $5,141 | $29.66 | 18,586 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for news writers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Paul Mitchell Ph.D.
Coordinator of Recruitment and Retention, University of Nevada - Reno
Top companies hiring news writers now:
Which companies pay news writers the most?
News writer salaries at PitchBook Data and Screen Rant are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average news writer salary at companies like Townsquare Media and Fox News are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PitchBook Data | $59,055 | $28.39 |
| 2 | Screen Rant | $54,441 | $26.17 |
| 3 | Townsquare Media | $54,192 | $26.05 |
| 4 | Fox News | $51,076 | $24.56 |
| 5 | Sinclair Broadcast Group | $48,952 | $23.53 |
| 6 | Dow Jones | $48,173 | $23.16 |
| 7 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $47,779 | $22.97 |
| 8 | Meruelo Media | $47,336 | $22.76 |
| 9 | Cointelegraph | $46,964 | $22.58 |
| 10 | WarnerMedia | $46,745 | $22.47 |
| 11 | iHeartMedia | $46,669 | $22.44 |
| 12 | Paramount | $44,681 | $21.48 |
| 13 | Nexstar Media Group | $43,043 | $20.69 |
| 14 | Audacy | $43,040 | $20.69 |
| 15 | Warner Bros. | $42,475 | $20.42 |
| 16 | BuzzFeed | $41,509 | $19.96 |
| 17 | The New Republic | $41,276 | $19.84 |
| 18 | The Walt Disney Company | $40,500 | $19.47 |
| 19 | WMSN FOX 47 News, Madison | $39,635 | $19.06 |
| 20 | Miami New Times | $39,230 | $18.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
News writer salary trends
The average news writer salary has risen by $9,341 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average news writer earned $35,788 annually, but today, they earn $45,129 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for news writers over the last decade.
Compare news writer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average news writer salary over time
Compare news writer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
News writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,100 | $21.70 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $43,600 | $20.96 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $42,300 | $20.36 | +4.6% |
| 2023 | $40,400 | $19.43 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $38,800 | $18.66 | +3.9% |
Recently added news writer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox | News Writer/Producer | Ione, WA | 06/27/2025 | $65,219 |
| Audacy, Inc. | News Writer | San Francisco, CA | 06/26/2025 | $45,956 |
| Fox Corporation | News Writer/Producer | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $65,219 |
| Industrial Light & Magic | Kabc Newswriter/Newscast Producer | Glendale, CA | 06/22/2025 | $88,885 |
| Fox | News Writer/Producer | Tony, WI | 06/20/2025 | $65,219 |
| Walt Disney Co | Kabc Newswriter/Newscast Producer | Glendale, CA | 06/19/2025 | $88,885 |
| Audacy, Inc. | News Writer/Editor-Wbbm-Am | Chicago, IL | 06/11/2025 | $45,497 |
| Audacy, Inc. | Wins News Writer | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $54,743 |
| Industrial Light & Magic | Kabc Freelance Newswriters | Glendale, CA | 05/27/2025 | $48,544 |
| Fox Corporation | Writer, Breaking/Trending News-PM | Washington, DC | 05/16/2025 | $60,000 |
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