Side-by-side distribution
Journalist
$123,635
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25%
- Live roles
- 48
Writer
$96,250
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 32.3%
- Live roles
- 555
Highest-paying jobs
Freelance Multimedia Journalist
Senior Video Journalist, The Interview
Senior Video Journalist, Podcast Video, Popcast
Senior Video Journalist, NYT Magazine
CLO Data Journalist
Video Journalist, Reporter Video (Culture & Lifestyle)
Video Journalist, Reporter Video
Studio Video Journalist
Data Journalist
Multiskilled Journalist
Highest-paying jobs
Freelance Business Writer
Freelance Finance Content Writer
Freelance Business Writer
Freelance Finance Content Writer
Senior Technical Writer, Developer Experience
UX Writer, AI
Principal Technical Writer
Staff Technical Writer
Staff Technical Writer
Senior Staff UX Writer, International
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
The New York Times
|
$131,563 | 6 |
|
TEGNA Inc.
|
$68,750 | 2 |
|
Cheddar
|
$182,000 | 1 |
|
9fin
|
$120,000 | 1 |
|
Insurify
|
$75,000 | 1 |
Snappr
|
$52,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
NoGigiddy
|
$42,640 | 44 |
Anduril Industries
|
$117,500 | 11 |
|
Mint Studios
|
$624,000 | 4 |
Accenture Federal Services
|
$135,800 | 4 |
Costello Medical
|
$66,875 | 4 |
Precision Medicine Group
|
$125,800 | 3 |
FNS Customs Brokers, Inc.
|
$58,500 | 3 |
Olema Oncology
|
$167,500 | 2 |
Journalist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $124,635 | 7 |
Writer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $195,291 | 6 |
| Boston | $131,250 | 6 |
| San Francisco | $107,500 | 16 |
| New York | $95,000 | 30 |
| Atlanta | $71,320 | 8 |
| Chicago | $56,810 | 10 |
| Austin | $48,880 | 8 |
| Los Angeles | $42,640 | 8 |
| Seattle | $42,640 | 6 |
| Denver | $42,640 | 7 |
Journalist vs Writer: which pays more?
The median for Journalist is $123,635 per year (typically $73,750–$138,490), versus $96,250 for Writer ($70,125–$136,585). That puts Journalist about 28% 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.