Journalist
Also known as: Reporter, News Writer
Research, investigate, and report on events and stories that inform and impact public knowledge.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for journalists.
About 1 in 10,000 reaches this level
About 49K journalists in the US; network and cable anchors earning $2M+ number roughly 30-50 people, a more representative top-end than the $12M+ earned by the handful of highest-paid anchors.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a bachelor's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI-written content is projected to outpace human-produced content across mainstream channels in 2026. Half of newsrooms already use generative AI tools. AI excels at exactly the tasks entry-level journalists perform: transcription, data analysis, initial drafting, SEO articles, and earnings reports. The entry-level "beat reporter" position is rapidly being automated.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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