How Much Do Data Journalists Make?
Having a clear understanding of earnings potential is important, especially if you are researching career paths or considering changing jobs. If you're one of those people, and you're curious what kind of salary data journalists make, you've come to the right place.
Using data from Lightcast,™ the Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled rich information about salary for data journalists and related jobs, including details about average compensation, salary trends and job growth. We've also gathered advertised salaries from actual job postings to provide insight into what employers of data journalists are offering as compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about how much data journalists can expect to make in the United States.
At a Glance: Salary & Jobs for Data Journalists
According to data from 2023, there were about 44,793 positions for data journalists in the United States. In terms of salary, the national median salary for data journalists was reported to be $57,491. Additionally, when examining job demand, employers across the country posted 10,405 job postings related to positions for data journalists.
How Much Money Do Data Journalists Make?
Median salary is just one data point. To build a better understanding of how much money data journalists and related positions can expect to make in the United States, it can be helpful to look at the full range of compensation for those jobs.
Let's look more deeply at data that was reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for detail into the lowest and highest salary earnings for data journalists.
Annual Salary for Data Journalists
According to the BLS, the lowest earners for data journalists and related professions earned about $31,554 per year in 2023. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the highest earners made about $160,368 annually.
As mentioned previously, the median salary for data journalists in the United States in 2023 was $57,491.
Annual Salary Range For Data Journalists In 2023
Hourly Salary for Data Journalists
The BLS also breaks down compensation for data journalists by hourly salary, and the median average hourly pay for data journalists in 2023 was $28. Lowest hourly earners took home $15 while the highest reported hourly salaries for data journalists was $77.
Hourly Salary Range For Data Journalists In 2023
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Data Journalists
Learn to craft clear and effective messages while adding new media communication methods to your professional toolkit.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Advertised Compensation for Data Journalists
Data from the BLS is one way to dig into compensation for data journalists, but another way to build a more real-time understanding of salary is to look at actual job postings and see what compensation organizations are currently providing to fill open positions for data journalists.
Keep in mind that salary data is not included in every job posting, so the information compiled here is reflective of the data available through Lightcast.™
Annual Salary from Job Postings for Data Journalists
Advertised Annual Salary
During a review of 13,905 job postings related to data journalists, advertised salary was included in 3,629 of them, which was 26%. Based on those postings, the median advertised salary for data journalists was $60,800 per year.
Hourly Salary from Job Postings for Data Journalists
Advertised Hourly Salary
A similar analysis of job postings provides insight into advertised hourly salary for data journalists. Based on 35% of postings with advertised compensation, the median hourly salary for open positions for data journalists in the United States is about $29.
Salary Trend for Data Journalists
If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the field, you may want to understand how compensation has changed over time for data journalists. The chart below provides a snapshot of advertised salaries over the past three years.
Based on compensation data that was included in job postings for data journalists dating back to September 2020, advertised salaries for data journalists have increased 62%.
Advertised Wage Trend For Data Journalists
What's the Job Growth for Data Journalists?
Another data point that someone thinking about a career path should consider is whether or not jobs are expected to see growth in the future. The chart below looks at projected employment for data journalists over the next 10 years.
According to the data obtained through Lightcast,™ there were 44,786 jobs for data journalists in the United States in 2023. By 2033, it is expected that about 1,163 jobs will be removed. That's a 2.6% decrease over the next 10-year period.
Employment Projections For Data Journalists
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about data journalists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for data journalists.
What do data journalists do?
Data Journalists: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.