The average salary for a journalist in North Carolina is around $58,670 per year.
Avg Salary
Journalists earn an average yearly salary of $58,670.
Wages typically start from $32,280 and go up to $101,970.
7% below national average Updated in 2025
Journalist earnings by seniority
Top-level journalist earnings begin at:
$49.03 per hour
$101,970 per year
Senior-level journalist earnings begin at:
$36.56 per hour
$76,040 per year
Mid-level journalist earnings begin at:
$28.21 per hour
$58,670 per year
Junior-level journalist earnings begin at:
$19.14 per hour
$39,800 per year
Starting level journalist earnings begin at:
$15.52 per hour
$32,280 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Journalist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Georgia | $81,910 |
| Nevada | $78,550 |
| Rhode Island | $74,570 |
| Maryland | $63,680 |
| Michigan | $62,760 |
| Tennessee | $62,390 |
| Virginia | $62,140 |
| Utah | $61,880 |
| Connecticut | $61,620 |
| Colorado | $60,770 |
| Illinois | $60,590 |
| New Jersey | $59,830 |
| Florida | $58,730 |
| North Carolina | $58,670 |
| Wisconsin | $57,530 |
| Hawaii | $56,730 |
| Delaware | $55,600 |
| Washington | $54,760 |
| New Mexico | $54,610 |
| Idaho | $51,190 |
| Louisiana | $50,750 |
| Maine | $50,090 |
| Oregon | $49,200 |
| California | $49,180 |
| Texas | $48,470 |
| New Hampshire | $48,450 |
| Oklahoma | $48,210 |
| Montana | $47,960 |
| South Carolina | $47,940 |
| Ohio | $47,880 |
| Indiana | $47,610 |
| Kentucky | $47,530 |
| Vermont | $46,970 |
| Missouri | $46,920 |
| Minnesota | $46,490 |
| Kansas | $45,870 |
| Mississippi | $45,240 |
| Massachusetts | $44,060 |
| Alaska | $43,820 |
| Iowa | $43,540 |
| South Dakota | $43,520 |
| Alabama | $43,440 |
| North Dakota | $43,420 |
| Arizona | $43,100 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,250 |
| Nebraska | $40,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,600 |
| Arkansas | $37,450 |
| Wyoming | $36,040 |
| West Virginia | $35,280 |
| Guam | $25,590 |
| District of Columbia | $105,390 |
| New York | $100,770 |
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 about the same as related careers in North Carolina. On average, they make less than editors but more than proofreaders.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Editor salary | $74K |
| Copywriter salary | $64K |
| Television writer salary | $64K |
| Author salary | $64K |
| News anchor salary | $59K |
| Journalist salary | $59K |
| Proofreader salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)