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What is a writer/reporter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted experts
Allison Harl Ph.D.,
Dr. Stine Eckert Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a writer/reporter. For example, did you know that they make an average of $27.94 an hour? That's $58,119 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 writer/reporter?

Allison Harl Ph.D.Allison Harl Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of English English Program Coordinator, Ferrum College

Develop as many multimedia skills as possible. Writing in the 21st century is about visual rhetoric as well as just words on a page.
ScoreWriter/ReporterUS Average
Salary
4.5

Avg. Salary $58,119

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 9.65%

Black or African American 6.36%

Hispanic or Latino 12.57%

Unknown 4.38%

White 66.75%

Gender

female 55.52%

male 44.48%

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

Writer/reporter career paths

Key steps to become a writer/reporter

  1. Explore writer/reporter education requirements

    Most common writer/reporter degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.1 %

    Master's

    9.5 %

    Associate

    6.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific writer/reporter skills

    SkillsPercentages
    News Stories13.62%
    Feature Stories7.88%
    News Articles5.57%
    Web Services5.06%
    Conduct Interviews5.00%
  3. Complete relevant writer/reporter training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New writer/reporters 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 writer/reporter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real writer/reporter resumes.
  4. Research writer/reporter duties and responsibilities

    • Manage a team of RFP writers and work with a cross-functional team to meet RFP requirements and establish deadlines.
    • Used SEO to target key readerships.
    • Headline writing adjust for social networking and SEO.
    • Edit and proofread self-written articles and articles of colleagues.
  5. Prepare your writer/reporter resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your writer/reporter 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 writer/reporter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable writer/reporter resume templates

    Build a professional writer/reporter 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 writer/reporter resume.
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
    Writer/Reporter Resume
  6. Apply for writer/reporter jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a writer/reporter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first writer/reporter job

Zippi

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Average writer/reporter salary

The average writer/reporter salary in the United States is $58,119 per year or $28 per hour. Writer/reporter salaries range between $38,000 and $88,000 per year.

Average writer/reporter salary
$58,119 Yearly
$27.94 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do writer/reporters rate their job?

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Writer/reporter reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

I love hearing stories from other sources.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

Research on Future computers , countries , foods , culture , doctors and singers.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Being creative, making your own hours, attending city council meetings, getting to know the mayor and members of the city council and writing about accused felons on trial.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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