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The differences between sports 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 sports writer and a reporter. Additionally, a reporter has an average salary of $46,667, which is higher than the $36,041 average annual salary of a sports writer.
The top three skills for a sports writer include SEO, game coverage and feature stories. The most important skills for a reporter are news stories, digital marketing, and facebook.
| Sports Writer | Reporter | |
| Yearly salary | $36,041 | $46,667 |
| Hourly rate | $17.33 | $22.44 |
| Growth rate | -10% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 16,981 | 11,179 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A sportswriter is responsible for delivering facts about ongoing sports happening around the world. They must be familiar with athletes such as footballers and swimmers. Sportswriter must understand not only sports but also the biographies of athletes. The core concern of a sportswriter is to write in a plain and understandable style.
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.
Sports writers and reporters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sports Writer | Reporter | |
| Average salary | $36,041 | $46,667 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $51,000 | Between $29,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Citi |
| Best paying industry | - | Media |
There are a few differences between a sports writer and a reporter in terms of educational background:
| Sports Writer | Reporter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | 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 sports writers' and reporters' demographics:
| Sports Writer | Reporter | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 8.8% White, 66.7% 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% |