Music Journalists

There are great variations in the earnings of music journalists. Salaries are related to experience, the type and size of media outlet for which the writer works, and geographic location.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median salary for reporters was $57,500 in May 2023. The lowest paid 10 percent of these workers earned $31,550 or less per year, while the highest paid 10 percent made $160,360 or more annually. In the same year, reporters who worked in for newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers had average annual earnings of $56,090. Writers who were employed by media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers earned $112,060.

Music journalists who work for a newspaper or magazine usually receive benefits such as vacation days, sick leave, health and life insurance, and a savings and pension program. Self-employed journalists must provide their own benefits.