Occupations · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 27-3023.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 30% between 2019 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $104,270 | 5,060 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $99,730 | 2,850 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $89,620 | 1,930 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $63,450 | 1,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $102,240 | 1,180 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $60,850 | 980 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $80,050 | 960 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $61,140 | 880 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $67,580 | 650 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $62,370 | 630 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $38,860 | 500 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $60,350 | 460 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
- Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
- Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
- Analyze and interpret news and information received from various sources to broadcast the information.
- Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.
- Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.
- Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
- Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.
- Select material most pertinent to presentation, and organize this material into appropriate formats.
- Present news stories, and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.
- Establish and maintain relationships with individuals who are credible sources of information.
- Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2020-11
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2020
Comparing O*NET release 25.1 (2020-11-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 9
No longer listed 2
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| foreign correspondent | 2642.1.11 | close |
| entertainment journalist | 2642.1.9 | broader |
| journalist | 2642.1 | broader |
| business journalist | 2642.1.3 | broader |
| crime journalist | 2642.1.6 | broader |
| sports journalist | 2642.1.16 | broader |
| magazine editor | 2642.1.12 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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