Data Journalists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of data journalists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for data journalists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of data journalists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for data journalists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Data Journalists?
Do data journalists need a degree? What kind of experience do data journalists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for data journalists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Data Journalists
Jobs Postings for Data Journalists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 14,166 (53%)
- No Education Listed: 10,021 (37%)
- High School or GED: 1,430 (5%)
- Master's degree: 1,110 (4%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 102 (0%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of data journalists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 53% of positions. In 37% of job listings no education level was listed and in 5% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Data Journalists
Jobs Postings for Data Journalists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 3,165 (22%)
- 2-3 Years: 8,051 (56%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,760 (19%)
- 7-9 Years: 195 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 188 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for data journalists. In 56% of job postings for Data Journalists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 22% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 19% of job postings for data journalists.
What Kind of Degree Do Data Journalists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for data journalists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 23 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective data journalists, and in 2021 a total of 147,385 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective data journalists.
Top Degree Programs for Data Journalists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Data Journalists (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
| Communication, General. | 11,952 |
| Journalism. | 11,321 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 10,266 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
| Communication, General. | 11,952 |
| Journalism. | 11,321 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 10,266 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 7,362 |
| Radio and Television. | 6,543 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | 4,068 |
| Communication and Media Studies, Other. | 3,374 |
| Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing. | 2,441 |
| Organizational Communication, General. | 2,013 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other. | 1,547 |
| Journalism, Other. | 1,098 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other. | 929 |
| Broadcast Journalism. | 881 |
| Sports Communication. | 729 |
| Agricultural Communication/Journalism. | 462 |
| Meteorology. | 283 |
| International and Intercultural Communication. | 256 |
| Political Communication. | 187 |
| Photojournalism. | 144 |
| Business and Economic Journalism. | 7 |
| Science/Health/Environmental Journalism. | 6 |
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What Skills Do Data Journalists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by data journalists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for data journalists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Data Journalists
Based on 25,610 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Data Journalists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 13,596 | 53% |
| News Stories | 5,205 | 20% |
| Social Media | 5,065 | 20% |
| Storytelling | 2,879 | 11% |
| Content Creation | 2,702 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Data Journalists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 11,132 | 43% |
| Communications | 10,798 | 42% |
| Editing | 7,167 | 28% |
| Research | 6,572 | 26% |
| Ability To Meet Deadlines | 4,868 | 19% |
Based on 25,610 job postings related to data journalists, journalism was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 53% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for news stories, social media, storytelling, content creation and news anchoring were also highly sought.
As for common skills, writing was the most desired skill found in job postings for data journalists, followed by communications, editing, research, ability to meet deadlines and english language.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 13,596 | 53% |
| News Stories | 5,205 | 20% |
| Social Media | 5,065 | 20% |
| Storytelling | 2,879 | 11% |
| Content Creation | 2,702 | 11% |
| News Anchoring | 2,548 | 10% |
| News Reporting | 2,474 | 10% |
| Broadcasting | 2,403 | 9% |
| AP Stylebook | 2,263 | 9% |
| News Editing | 2,046 | 8% |
| Videography | 1,789 | 7% |
| Office Equipment | 1,741 | 7% |
| News Coverage | 1,727 | 7% |
| Photography | 1,572 | 6% |
| Live Reporting | 1,535 | 6% |
| Search Engine Optimization | 1,430 | 6% |
| Punctuation And Capitalization | 1,383 | 5% |
| Marketing | 1,228 | 5% |
| Market Size | 1,216 | 5% |
| Workflow Management | 1,201 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 11,132 | 43% |
| Communications | 10,798 | 42% |
| Editing | 7,167 | 28% |
| Research | 6,572 | 26% |
| Ability To Meet Deadlines | 4,868 | 19% |
| English Language | 4,238 | 17% |
| Good Driving Record | 3,811 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 3,620 | 14% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,307 | 13% |
| Grammar | 3,117 | 12% |
| Multitasking | 2,556 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,448 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 2,086 | 8% |
| Management | 1,985 | 8% |
| Leadership | 1,948 | 8% |
| Information Gathering | 1,912 | 7% |
| Sales | 1,847 | 7% |
| Lifting Ability | 1,783 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,651 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 1,637 | 6% |
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?
How much do data journalists make?
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