Side-by-side distribution
Journalist
$124,636
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 33.3%
- Live roles
- 45
Writer
$102,350
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.5%
- Live roles
- 542
Highest-paying jobs
Freelance Multimedia Journalist
Senior Video Journalist, Podcast Video, Popcast
Senior Video Journalist, Cinematography (Temp)
Senior Video Journalist, International
Senior Video Journalist, NYT Magazine
Senior Video Journalist, The Interview
Video Journalist, Visual Investigations
CLO Data Journalist
Video Journalist, Reporter Video (Culture & Lifestyle)
Video Journalist, Reporter Video
Highest-paying jobs
Freelance Business Writer
Editorial Writer
Freelance Finance Content Writer
Freelance Finance Content Writer
Freelance Business Writer
Principal Regulatory Writer (Temporary)
Senior Regulatory Writer (Temporary)
Regulatory Writer and/or Regulatory QC/ Editor
Staff Technical Writer
Senior Staff UX Writer, International
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
The New York Times
|
$138,490 | 9 |
|
Cheddar
|
$182,000 | 1 |
|
9fin
|
$120,000 | 1 |
AirGarage
|
$120,000 | 1 |
Insurify
|
$75,000 | 1 |
TEGNA Inc.
|
$70,000 | 1 |
Snappr
|
$52,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
NoGigiddy
|
$42,640 | 44 |
Anduril Industries
|
$117,500 | 9 |
Costello Medical
|
$70,372 | 5 |
|
Mint Studios
|
$624,000 | 4 |
| VB Vir Biotechnology | $312,000 | 3 |
Precision Medicine Group
|
$110,000 | 3 |
Kizen
|
$145,500 | 2 |
Accenture Federal Services
|
$106,700 | 2 |
Journalist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $133,813 | 10 |
Writer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $130,476 | 6 |
| New York | $96,250 | 26 |
| Boston | $91,250 | 6 |
| Chicago | $55,120 | 8 |
| Austin | $48,880 | 8 |
| San Francisco | $42,640 | 11 |
| Los Angeles | $42,640 | 7 |
| Seattle | $42,640 | 5 |
| Denver | $42,640 | 7 |
| Atlanta | $42,640 | 5 |
Journalist vs Writer: which pays more?
The median for Journalist is $124,636 per year (typically $120,000–$138,490), versus $102,350 for Writer ($70,186–$140,250). That puts Journalist about 22% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Journalist and Writer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.