News Writers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of news writers 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 news writers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of news writers 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 news writers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for News Writers?
Do news writers need a degree? What kind of experience do news writers 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 news writers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for News Writers
Jobs Postings for News Writers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 7,778 (53%)
- No Education Listed: 5,286 (36%)
- Master's degree: 867 (6%)
- High School or GED: 581 (4%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 54 (0%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of news writers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 53% of positions. In 36% of job listings no education level was listed and in 6% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for News Writers
Jobs Postings for News Writers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,365 (19%)
- 2-3 Years: 4,440 (61%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,303 (18%)
- 7-9 Years: 122 (2%)
- 10+ Years: 64 (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 news writers. In 61% of job postings for News Writers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 19% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 18% of job postings for news writers.
What Kind of Degree Do News Writers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for news writers, 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 news writers, and in 2023 a total of 130,532 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 news writers.
Top Degree Programs for News Writers
Top 5 Degree Programs for News Writers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General. | 35,412 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 33,262 |
| Communication, General. | 11,220 |
| Journalism. | 10,005 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 9,221 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General. | 35,412 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 33,262 |
| Communication, General. | 11,220 |
| Journalism. | 10,005 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 9,221 |
| Radio and Television. | 6,486 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 6,447 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | 4,139 |
| Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing. | 2,863 |
| Communication and Media Studies, Other. | 2,831 |
| Organizational Communication, General. | 1,835 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other. | 1,470 |
| Journalism, Other. | 1,186 |
| Sports Communication. | 1,161 |
| Broadcast Journalism. | 848 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other. | 816 |
| Agricultural Communication/Journalism. | 445 |
| Meteorology. | 268 |
| International and Intercultural Communication. | 245 |
| Political Communication. | 221 |
| Photojournalism. | 144 |
| Science/Health/Environmental Journalism. | 7 |
| Business and Economic Journalism. | 0 |
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What Skills Do News Writers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by news writers 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 news writers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's News Writers
Based on 13,905 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for News Writers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 7,860 | 57% |
| Social Media | 3,018 | 22% |
| News Stories | 2,848 | 20% |
| Storytelling | 1,985 | 14% |
| AP Stylebook | 1,501 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for News Writers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 6,462 | 46% |
| Communication | 5,985 | 43% |
| Editing | 3,939 | 28% |
| Research | 3,535 | 25% |
| Self-Motivation | 2,579 | 19% |
Based on 13,905 job postings related to news writers, journalism was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 57% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social media, news stories, storytelling, ap stylebook and content creation were also highly sought.
As for common skills, writing was the most desired skill found in job postings for news writers, followed by communication, editing, research, self-motivation and ability to meet deadlines.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 7,860 | 57% |
| Social Media | 3,018 | 22% |
| News Stories | 2,848 | 20% |
| Storytelling | 1,985 | 14% |
| AP Stylebook | 1,501 | 11% |
| Content Creation | 1,426 | 10% |
| News Reporting | 1,408 | 10% |
| News Anchoring | 1,271 | 9% |
| Videography | 1,175 | 8% |
| Live Reporting | 1,072 | 8% |
| News Editing | 988 | 7% |
| News Coverage | 924 | 7% |
| Photography | 920 | 7% |
| Search Engine Optimization | 920 | 7% |
| Marketing | 696 | 5% |
| Broadcasting | 650 | 5% |
| Breaking News Coverage | 648 | 5% |
| Multimedia | 627 | 5% |
| Sports Journalism | 593 | 4% |
| Linear Video Editing | 584 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 6,462 | 46% |
| Communication | 5,985 | 43% |
| Editing | 3,939 | 28% |
| Research | 3,535 | 25% |
| Self-Motivation | 2,579 | 19% |
| Ability To Meet Deadlines | 2,559 | 18% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 2,222 | 16% |
| Good Driving Record | 1,948 | 14% |
| English Language | 1,821 | 13% |
| Detail Oriented | 1,531 | 11% |
| Grammar | 1,478 | 11% |
| Multitasking | 1,366 | 10% |
| Management | 1,136 | 8% |
| Time Management | 993 | 7% |
| Information Gathering | 978 | 7% |
| Problem Solving | 972 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 933 | 7% |
| Leadership | 929 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 921 | 7% |
| Curiosity | 911 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about news writers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for news writers.
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