Pew: Newsroom Grads Earn Less Than Other College Grads

Newsroom employees are more than twice as likely as other U.S. workers to be college graduates. But they tend to make less money than college-educated workers in other industries, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Nearly eight-in-ten (79%) newsroom employees in the newspaper, broadcasting and internet publishing industries – including reporters, editors, photographers and videographers – have at least a college degree, according to the analysis of 2012-2016 American Community Survey data. Among employees in all other occupations and industries, only about a third (36%) have graduated from college. Very few newsroom employees have a high school education or less (4%), compared with a third of all other workers.

When it comes to earnings, newsroom employees do better than the average U.S worker when considering employees of all education levels. The median annual earnings of newsroom employees are about $48,000, compared with about $39,000 for all other workers.

However, college-educated newsroom employees make less than college-educated workers in other industries and occupations. The median earnings of newsroom employees with a college degree are about $51,000, compared with roughly $59,000 for all other college-educated workers.