Political Reporters

There are great variations in the earnings of reporters. Salaries are related to experience, the type of employer for which the reporter works, and geographic location. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the mean annual salary for news analysts, reporters, and journalists was $101,430 in May 2023. News analysts, reporters, and journalists who were employed by newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers earned average salaries of $56,090, while those worked for radio and television broadcasting stations received $99,130. The lowest 10 percent of all news analysts, reporters, and journalists earned $31,550 or less, and the top 10 percent earned $160,360 or more. Half earned between $38,160 and $91,890.

Depending on their employers, most full-time political reporters enjoy a full complement of benefits, including vacation and sick time as well as holidays and medical and dental insurance. Self-employed workers must provide their own benefits.