A guide to average journalist salaries in the UK

If you’re passionate about breaking the latest news or investigating stories, a career in journalism might be for you.

There are many types of journalism to choose from, including print, digital and broadcast. How much you could earn in the sector will depend on the kind of work you do, your employer (or your clients, if you’re freelance) and where you work.

While it’s hard to provide a single figure as the average journalist salary in the UK, it’s still useful to have a rough guide to the earnings potential in journalism.

We’ll dive into the average income for journalists and explain how much you might earn in the following roles:

• Reporter
• Editor
• Broadcast journalist
• Video producer

Reporters are the journalists who talk to sources, research leads and write about the news. You’ll find them in fast-paced newsrooms, on the ground getting a story or working from home.

Sometimes, the term reporter is used interchangeably with the title staff writer.

Typically, staff writers work for digital publications and magazines, while reporters work for newspapers but there are exceptions. Reporters will sometimes work on a freelance basis writing for various publications and pitching their own stories, while staff writers are employed by a certain publication.

Responsibilities for both job titles can involve writing features, reviews and news reports.

How much does a reporter earn?

How much a reporter earns will depend on several factors, but they could have a salary between around £14,000 and £40,000. It’s a big range!

Your earnings will vary based on whether you’re freelance or employed, your experience, your seniority, the area of the country you work in, who you write for and if you specialise in a certain area.

To work as a journalist, you’ll usually need an NCTJ qualification. It isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s highly regarded in the industry. Your first job in journalism may be as an apprentice journalist where you’ll study for your NCTJ at the same time as earning. As of April 2025, an apprentice will earn a minimum of £7.55 an hour in their first year. So, if you work for 35 hours a week as an apprentice, you’ll receive a yearly wage of approximately £13,741.

If you get a job as a trainee journalist (but not an apprentice), how much you earn will depend on whether you’re working for a local, regional, national or even international publication. Typically, you’ll earn more, the bigger the publication. However, it’s not unusual for trainees to earn around the legal minimum. If you’re over 21 and work for 35 hours a week as an employee (and not an apprentice), you’ll earn around £22,000 on the National Living Wage.

While the average reporter salary in the UK starts low, you’ll have the potential to earn more as you gain experience. After around five years, you could expect to have a salary closer to £35,000. If you go on to become a senior journalist, you might earn £40,000.

Specialist writers may earn more or less than the average salary for a reporter. For example, financial news writers will typically earn between £24,000 to £37,000 (with the potential to earn up to £42,000 as an editor). If you’re interested in specialising in financial news, visit our guide to financial services salaries in the UK to find out more about what financial news writers earn.

Editors are responsible for overseeing the content produced by their publication, whether that’s a magazine, newspaper or website.

Editors plan content, assign reporters to stories, brainstorm content formats and sometimes write articles of their own. Editors will also usually decide on the publication’s layout, such as where advertising will sit.

As an editor, you’re in charge so it’s your job to make sure that everything is up to scratch.

How much does an editor earn?

An editor’s salary will vary depending on their publication. However, on average, an editor will usually earn between £26,000 (as a starter salary) and £45,000 (once experienced). Editors for particularly large publications could earn much more.

Typically, a section editor (ie. a fashion editor, news editor, entertainment editor) will earn less than a publication’s overarching editor.

To become an editor, you’ll usually need to climb the ladder to get there. So, expect to work as an assistant editor for around £24,000 to £30,000 before getting the big job.

Broadcast journalists research and present the news. You’ll see their work on the TV, on the radio and online.

In general, broadcast journalists will conduct their own research to inform the story. However, some newsreaders (a type of broadcast journalist) present from a script and don’t research all the stories they share.

Interested in being a broadcast journalist? You can get into broadcast journalism in several ways, including following on from a university degree in Broadcast or Multimedia Journalism, an apprenticeship or work experience. Sound exciting? Learn more about our top tips for securing your first job in journalism.

How much does a broadcast journalist earn?

How much a broadcast journalist earns will depend on experience, specialism and their employer. As a rough average, a broadcast journalist will likely earn an average salary of between £23,000 (as a starter salary) and £42,000 (once experienced).

However, there will be outliers. For example, if you enter broadcast journalism via an apprenticeship, you’ll need to initially earn a lower salary while you’re learning. You’ll also likely earn more if based in London than elsewhere in the UK.

Senior broadcast journalists could earn higher salaries too, potentially up to £80,000. Several high-profile broadcast journalists will have particularly high wages but don’t expect everyone in the sector to earn the same as a renowned newsreader.

A video producer is responsible for the entire process of creating videos – from coming up with what to capture to approving the final content. Within journalism, video producers and researchers create videos for news companies and often manage creative direction, writing scripts, deadlines and communicating with their teams.

Video producers tell stories via film – whether it’s a short clip for social media or an extended news feature on TV. It’s an exciting area of journalism.

To grab a role, you’ll ideally be able to show employers that you know how to use editing software and have teamwork skills. Ideally, you’ll have experience in the field, but it isn’t essential for apprentice or entry-level roles where you’ll learn on the job. Just be sure to show your passion and your transferable skills.

How much does a video producer earn?

A video producer’s salary will vary depending on the organisation they work for and the type of video content they create. On average though, a video producer could expect to earn around £27,000 to £39,000.

You need to be prepared to earn a lower salary while gaining experience, with many video researcher roles having salaries of around £24,000 to £32,000. However, you could also earn a much higher salary if you progress during your career. For example, very experienced video producers may earn between £40,000 to £55,000. So, if you’re the lead video producer for a major news broadcaster, your salary will likely reflect that.

As with many journalism roles, it’s possible to go freelance once you’ve gained enough experience. How much you’ll earn as a freelancer will depend on how much work you secure, the prices you charge and your clients’ budgets. Freelance self-employment might not be for you if you prefer to have a set income, but it could offer more flexibility.

Journalism is an exciting sector to be part of, with many opportunities. While traditional reporters are essential to the industry, there are other jobs that will suit people who don’t want to write.

You might produce videos for social media, discuss news stories on the radio or edit a publication.

How much you could earn in journalism will depend on your role, seniority, location and the type of publication you work for. If you’re a freelancer, you won’t have a fixed salary so your earnings can fluctuate.

While it’s hard to know exactly how much you’ll earn in your future career, we hope that our guide has still helped you get a better idea of the average journalist salary in the UK. If you’re interested in becoming a journalist, read about the journalism skills you need to get into the sector.

This article was last updated in July, 2025.