News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, news analysts, reporters, and journalists earn $54,230 at the median, or about $26.07 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $59,138 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 37% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About news analysts, reporters, and journalists
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for news analysts, reporters, and journalistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | $55K |
| Sioux City | $48K | $56K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $70K | $68K |
| Kansas City | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level news analysts, reporters, and journalists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $105K | +69% | 1,720 |
| New York | $101K | +62% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $82K | +32% | 1,520 |
| Nevada | $79K | +26% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +20% | 150 |
| Maryland | $64K | +2% | 580 |
| Michigan | $63K | +1% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $62K | +0% | 600 |
| Virginia | $62K | -0% | 1,110 |
| Utah | $62K | -1% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $62K | -1% | 470 |
| Colorado | $61K | -2% | 590 |
| Illinois | $61K | -3% | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $60K | -4% | 500 |
| Florida | $59K | -6% | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -6% | 930 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | -8% | 740 |
| Hawaii | $57K | -9% | 120 |
| Delaware | $56K | -11% | 70 |
| Washington | $55K | -12% | 880 |
| New Mexico | $55K | -12% | 170 |
| Idaho | $51K | -18% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -18% | 410 |
| Maine | $50K | -19% | 250 |
| Oregon | $49K | -21% | 410 |
| Texas | $48K | -22% | 2,670 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | -22% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -22% | 400 |
| Montana | $48K | -23% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -23% | 480 |
| Ohio | $48K | -23% | 1,340 |
| Indiana | $48K | -23% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -24% | 370 |
| Vermont | $47K | -24% | 90 |
| Missouri | $47K | -25% | 480 |
| Minnesota | $46K | -25% | 510 |
| Kansas | $46K | -26% | 400 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -27% | 310 |
| Alaska | $44K | -30% | 90 |
| Iowa | $44K | -30% | 590 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -30% | 190 |
| Alabama | $43K | -30% | 530 |
| North Dakota | $43K | -30% | 160 |
| Arizona | $43K | -31% | 450 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -35% | 350 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -40% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -42% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -43% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a news analysts, reporters, and journalist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new news analysts, reporters, and journalists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,210/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is news analysts, reporters, and journalist a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $54K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for news analysts, reporters, and journalists?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $54,230 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,840, and experienced news analysts, reporters, and journalists can clear $102,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,579/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 36.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary is worth about $59,138 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do news analysts, reporters, and journalists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.