Journalist salary in North Carolina

Journalist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level journalist earnings begin at:

$36.30 per hour

$75,490 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level journalist earnings begin at:

$23.56 per hour

$49,000 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level journalist earnings begin at:

$16.34 per hour

$33,990 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level journalist earnings begin at:

$12.73 per hour

$26,470 per year

10th percentile

Starting level journalist earnings begin at:

$10.90 per hour

$22,680 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Journalist salary by state

How much does a Journalist earn?

If you're fortunate enough to get and keep a job in the current climate, it is possible to make a decent salary in print, online, or broadcast journalism. A journalist salary depends on what media market you're in, your specific job, and how much experience you have.

A journalist working for a big paper in a major media market can make more than someone at a smaller paper in a smaller market. The competition for jobs at big papers in large cities is more intense than for papers in small towns. Typically, the biggest papers hire people with many years of experience, who would expect to be paid more than someone just starting out.

In rough terms, journalist salaries at small papers are $20,000 to $30,000; at medium-sized papers, $35,000 to $55,000; and at large papers, $60,000 and up. Editors earn a bit more. At the low end of the salary scale, beginning TV reporters make about the same as beginning newspaper reporters. But in big media markets, salaries for TV reporters and anchors skyrocket. Reporters at stations in large cities can earn well into the six figures, and anchors in large media markets can earn $1 million or more annually.

How do journalist salaries compare to similar careers?

Journalists earn 30% less than similar careers in North Carolina. On average, they make less than editors.

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)