Journalist Salary

• Updated on  7 Aug, 2025 by Kirti Mehendiratta

Journalist salary in India may vary based on several criteria, including number of years of experience, education level, job designation, and location, among others. Junior jobs, such as Trainee Reporter, usually pay low packages, whereas the higher posts, such as News Director or Editor-in-Chief, offer higher packages. Journalist salary is influenced by many factors, namely, experience, educational levels, job designations, as well as the city or country where an individual is working.

 

As a new graduate of a BA in Journalism or a professional seeking senior positions, knowing about the financial trends in the field enables students to better formulate their career path. Both in metro cities of India and international media centres, the package differs widely.

 

Table of Contents
  1. Journalist Salary after Experience
  2. Journalist Salary after different levels of study
  3. Salary as per Designation
  4. Journalist Salary in Some Top Cities
  5. Journalist Salary Abroad
  6. FAQs `

 

Journalist Salary after Experience

Journalist salaries in India vary significantly based on experience and job role. As one becomes more experienced in years of practice, he or she is promoted upwards, starting at the basic level of a Trainee Reporter to holding some of the most prestigious posts of a News Director or Editor-in-Chief. The table below shows average salaries per year by experience level in journalism.

Job Role

Experience Required

Average Salary (per annum)

Trainee Reporter

0–1 year

INR 2–3.5 LPA

Junior Journalist

0–1 year

INR 2.5–4.5 LPA

News Reporter

1–3 years

INR 3.5–6 LPA

Content Writer (News Media)

1–3 years

INR 3–5.5 LPA

Feature Writer

2–4 years

INR 4.5–7 LPA

Sub-Editor

2–4 years

INR 4–6.5 LPA

Copy Editor

3–5 years

INR 5–8 LPA

Broadcast Journalist

3–6 years

INR 6–10 LPA

Senior Correspondent

4–7 years

INR 6.5–11 LPA

Assistant Editor

5–8 years

INR 8–12 LPA

News Anchor

5–10 years

INR 10–18 LPA

Editor

7–12 years

INR 12–20 LPA

Bureau Chief

10+ years

INR 15–25 LPA

Chief Editor

12+ years

INR 20–35 LPA

Media Consultant

10+ years

INR 18–30 LPA

Investigative Journalist

8–15 years

INR 12–22 LPA

Political Analyst/Columnist

10+ years

INR 15–28 LPA

News Director

15+ years

INR 25–40 LPA

 

Journalist Salary after different levels of study

Journalist salaries can also vary depending on the level of education attained, with higher qualifications often leading to better-paying roles and faster career progression. Depending on academic settings and qualifications, various opportunities come with diploma holders versus postgraduates and PhD-based professionals across the media industry. The list below provides an in-depth description of job positions in journalism, the education level they require, and the average salaries they pay.

Job Role

Experience Required

Education Level Required

Average Salary (per annum)

Trainee Reporter

0–1 year

Diploma/BA in Journalism

INR 2–3.5 LPA

Junior Journalist

0–1 year

BA/BJMC

INR 2.5–4.5 LPA

Content Writer (Media)

1–2 years

BA/BJMC/MA in Mass Comm

INR 3–5 LPA

News Reporter

1–3 years

BA/BJMC

INR 3.5–6 LPA

Feature Writer

2–4 years

BJMC/MA in Journalism

INR 4.5–7 LPA

Sub-Editor

2–4 years

BJMC/MA in English/Journalism

INR 4–6.5 LPA

Copy Editor

3–5 years

BJMC/MA

INR 5–8 LPA

Broadcast Journalist

3–6 years

BJMC/MA in Mass Communication

INR 6–10 LPA

Senior Correspondent

4–7 years

MA in Journalism/PG Diploma

INR 6.5–11 LPA

Assistant Editor

5–8 years

MA in Journalism/PhD preferred

INR 8–12 LPA

News Anchor

5–10 years

BJMC/MA in Mass Comm

INR 10–18 LPA

 

Salary as per Designation

Starting with the entry-level, such as Trainee Reporter to top management, such as Editor-in-Chief or News Director, each job title corresponds to growing responsibility, specialization and the amount of compensation. The following table shows the breakdown on salaries according to designation and level of experience in the field of journalism.

Job Role

Experience Required

Average Salary (per annum)

Trainee Reporter

0–1 year

INR 2–3.5 LPA

Junior Journalist

0–1 year

INR 2.5–4.5 LPA

News Reporter

1–3 years

INR 3.5–6 LPA

Content Writer (Media)

1–3 years

INR 3–5.5 LPA

Sub-Editor

2–4 years

INR 4–6.5 LPA

Feature Writer

2–4 years

INR 4.5–7 LPA

Copy Editor

3–5 years

INR 5–8 LPA

Broadcast Journalist

3–5 years

INR 6–10 LPA

Senior Correspondent

4–7 years

INR 6.5–11 LPA

Assistant Editor

5–8 years

INR 8–12 LPA

News Anchor

5–10 years

INR 10–18 LPA

Senior Editor

7–10 years

INR 12–20 LPA

Bureau Chief

10+ years

INR 15–25 LPA

Chief Sub-Editor

10+ years

INR 14–22 LPA

Political Analyst/Columnist

10+ years

INR 15–28 LPA

Editor-in-Chief

12+ years

INR 20–35 LPA

Media Strategist/Consultant

10+ years

INR 18–30 LPA

Digital Content Head

10+ years

INR 18–30 LPA

News Director

15+ years

INR 25–40 LPA

Executive Editor

15+ years

INR 22–35 LPA

 

Journalist Salary in Some Top Cities

After BA Journalism, one can earn a great salary depending on the location. This table provides a list of average salaries for different journalism and media roles in major Indian cities. It reflects how both experience level and city impact salary trends in the industry.

Job Role

City

Experience Required

Average Salary (per annum)

Trainee Reporter

Delhi

0–1 year

INR 3 LPA

Junior Journalist

Mumbai

0–1 year

INR 3.5 LPA

Content Writer (Media)

Bangalore

0–1 year

INR 4 LPA

News Reporter

Kolkata

0–1 year

INR 3.2 LPA

Sub-Editor

Hyderabad

1–3 years

INR 4.5 LPA

Feature Writer

Pune

1–3 years

INR 5 LPA

Copy Editor

Chennai

2–4 years

INR 5.5 LPA

Broadcast Journalist

Noida

2–4 years

INR 6.5 LPA

Senior Correspondent

Jaipur

3–5 years

INR 7.5 LPA

Assistant Editor

Ahmedabad

5–8 years

INR 9 LPA

News Anchor

Delhi

5–10 years

INR 15 LPA

Senior Editor

Bangalore

7–10 years

INR 16 LPA

Bureau Chief

Mumbai

10+ years

INR 20 LPA

Political Analyst/Columnist

Hyderabad

10+ years

INR 18 LPA

Editor-in-Chief

Kolkata

10+ years

INR 22 LPA

Media Consultant

Gurugram

10+ years

INR 24 LPA

News Director

Chennai

10+ years

INR 25 LPA

Executive Editor

Pune

10+ years

INR 20 LPA

Digital Content Head

Indore

10+ years

INR 18 LPA

Senior Journalist

Lucknow

10+ years

INR 15 LPA

Also Read: Certificate course in Journalism

 

Journalist Salary Abroad

Working in a foreign country as a journalist offers a variety of positions that offer a pay scale depending on experience and location. The table below shows the average number of journalists in various countries under junior and senior jobs, as well as the highest position of editorial role.

Job Role

Country

Experience Required

Average Salary (per annum)

Junior Reporter

USA

0–1 year

USD 40,000–55,000

News Writer

Canada

0–1 year

CAD 45,000–55,000

Assistant Journalist

Australia

0–1 year

AUD 50,000–60,000

Broadcast Journalist

UK

2–3 years

GBP 30,000–40,000

News Correspondent

Germany

2–3 years

EUR 40,000–50,000

Feature Writer

UAE

3–5 years

AED 100,000–140,000

Senior Reporter

USA

5–10 years

USD 65,000–90,000

Digital Media Editor

Canada

5–10 years

CAD 75,000–90,000

Senior News Anchor

Australia

5–10 years

AUD 90,000–110,000

Managing Editor

UK

10+ years

GBP 60,000–80,000

Editor-in-Chief

Germany

10+ years

EUR 75,000–95,000

Executive Editor

UAE

10+ years

AED 200,000–260,000

Media Director

USA

10+ years

USD 100,000–130,000

Senior Content Strategist

Canada

10+ years

CAD 100,000–120,000

Senior Media Consultant

Australia

10+ years

AUD 120,000–140,000

 

FAQs `

How does digital media impact journalists' earning potential?

Digital news media has brought many earning opportunities to journalists due to digital storytelling, digital content creation, SEO, and social media. The digital platforms tend to have higher payments than the traditional print media due to the content material that needs to be delivered in real-time and the advertisement earnings increase as well. Media people with digital marketing experience, video production skills or data journalists tend to get higher pay

How do journalist salaries differ across Indian cities?

Senior or top editors, content directors, or heads of digital media in big entities can make 30 lakh to 1.5 crore in a year as best. Most famous anchors at peak networks can possibly rake in more than 1-3 lakh rupees per month. Such broad salaries are generally coupled with great volumes of experience, leadership/management services and expertise in the niche services.

What is the variation in salaries of journalists in cities in India?

The top salary rates are found in metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore due to presence of the national media houses, the presence of better infrastructure, and the higher living standards. Tier 2 and 3 cities give less remuneration and may involve a faster career progression and reporting opportunities. The concentration of media and the price level of the companies are of great importance to the divergence of salaries among various cities.

Which journalist specialties earn the most?

The most senior broadcast journalists, investigative reporters, and editorial leaders in India receive the largest salary, which can be in the range of several crores per year. The starting and junior reporters, on average, have an annual income of INR 3 to 5 lakhs.

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