• by Ray Schultz , June 5, 2024

Young reporters just starting out might consider going into business journalism. That’s where the money is, judging by a report from The Reynolds Center for Business journalism.

The median salary for business journalists is $75,599, which is $18,099 more than the median pay for reporters and news analysts published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2023, the study says. 

Publishers looking for talent should consider this differential. 

In addition, 70% of the respondents had received a salary increase in the last year. 

Business editors and managers drew a median salary of $105,000, making the median for all respondents $82,250. 

Of the reporters surveyed, 21.5% were under the age of 30. Their median salary is $65,000, which The Reynolds Center says is in the upper range for entry-level journalism positions. 

“The findings from this latest salary survey reinforce the value and demand for skilled business journalists,” says Jim Nelson, president of Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW). “Not only do they earn a significant premium over general news reporters, but they are also highly valued in leadership roles within their organizations.”

The Reynolds Center surveyed 209 journalists from 34 states and Washington D.C. Almost a third came from four states: New York, Texas, California and Massachusetts.